Harry Potter Finding Grace
by reallybodmin
Summary: A story I wrote for my children which follows the canon up to but excluding the epilogue. Follow Harry, Ron and Hermione as they investigate a new crime, and root for Harry as he finally finds some well-deserved peace. (Sorry, no more Romione in this one.)
1. Chapter 1

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**This is a story I wrote for my children. It follows the canon up to but excluding the epilogue of Deathly Hallows. **

**I love reviews!**

**Chapter 1**

Harry Potter leaned back in his brown leather chair and stretched. It had been another long day in the auror office even though he was "just" in training. Ron and Hermione, his two best friends, had already left for the day, both being rather faster at the paperwork than he was. Hermione was always faster at paperwork, and Ron just couldn't be fussed with detail, Harry thought with a small smile.

They were all looking forward to a wonderful meal and evening spent relaxing at the Burrow, Ron's family home. Molly and Arthur, Ron's parents, had invited him and Hermione over for the evening as they often did on Fridays.

Harry closed his eyes for a moment and thought back over the last eighteen months of his life. It was amazing how much had happened. After the wizarding war was over, it had been decided by the Hogwarts Board of Governors that the last year of school was to be repeated for everyone. So, under the capable leadership of new headmistress Minerva McGonagall and with the help of hundreds of volunteers, the ancient castle had been quickly rebuilt and Harry, Ron and Hermione returned for a last year. Ginny, Ron's younger sister, returned also to redo her sixth year. She had spent most of the last year either in detention under the evil professors Carrow or in hiding at her Aunt Muriel's after it was revealed that Ron was on the run with Harry.

During the year a lot had changed, not just in how the school was run, but in the students' relationships as well. Ron and Hermione, though they had felt great affection for each other for many years, finally tired of their own endless bickering. They both realized that sometimes differences in outlook on life just ran too deep and both opted to remain just friends, although Harry had listened to much agony from both of them before this decision was finally reached. Thankfully, their deep friendship had transcended the brief romance and they now did their bickering mostly in fun.

Harry and Ginny's relationship had been a bit more complicated. After being torn apart for the last year, they had quickly come back together, happy to have the freedom to do so at last. However, as the year went on, cracks began to appear in the layers of their relationship.

Harry, so scarred still by the incredible losses of his turbulent life, began to brood at times. It was hard for him to let anyone in during these episodes, including Ginny. On the other hand, Ginny wanted to forget the past as soon as possible and get on with her life. Of course, she dealt with her shadows too, particularly the death of her brother Fred, the twin she had perhaps been closest to. But she decided early on to take on Fred's family role, in a sense, and try to "bring back the fun." Harry enjoyed this for a while and it helped him out of his "blues' as he called them, using the muggle term. But in the end he and Ginny decided to be just friends, as it seeemed that Harry's brooding intensity and Ginny's drive for moving on so quickly and joking around so much just seemed to bring out the other's worst qualities.

Yes, in some ways it had been a quick eighteen months, but in some ways very long, and now Harry, Ron and, surprisingly, Hermione were finished with school and in training with the Ministry of Magic's Auror Office.

Ron had met a young lady on one of the threesome's outings into muggle London. Things were at an early stage so, of course, Ron's true identity was still a secret to her. Ginny too was seeing someone. He was a new seventh year named Peter. He was British, but he had been in France for several years as his father was a muggle and had been working there. So, after six years at L'Ecole D'Harcourt, the French school for wizards, he was finishing his education at Hogwarts.

So, all in all, things were going fairly well for Harry allthough he still brooded often, usually relying on Hermione to listen when he felt like talking. It seeemed that their muggle backgrounds just made the conversations go more easily.

The wizarding world was still suffering somewhat. Death Eater cells were still active. On his bad days, Harry thought that they would always be around. He often thought about Voldemort and his horcruxes, about Regulus Black who had figured them out, and hoped with all of his might that no one else in Voldemort's inner circle had worked out his horrible secret.

Somehow Kingsley Shacklebolt, the new Minister of Magic, had been able to tell the final stories of Harry, Voldemort , and the war without leaking these most terrifying details. It was decided that there was no point in sharing the evil horcrux plot with others who might decide to ty it too.

So far, there was no evidence that anyone else had begun trying to become immortal in this evil way but the aurors, who had all been briefed, were on constant lookout. One strange near-capture had grabbed the whole department's attention a month before. A particularly nasty cell had been infiltrated over a series of months after the murders of several highly placed muggle government officials. When the capture had finally been carried out, one member of the cell had escaped at the last minute, disapparating despite a holding spell and leaving a strange vapor behind. The man was a cousin of Death Eater Lucius Malfoy, who was still at-large following the war.

"Best not to start puzzling that one out right now," Harry said aloud to himself. He grabbed his cloak, took the lift down and used floo powder to get to the Burrow.


	2. Chapter 2

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Would love a review! Thanks for the follows and favorite!**

Chapter 2

The wonderful smell of Molly Weasley's cooking greeted Harry the moment he stepped from the fireplace. Hermione and Ron came over to give Harry a hug and Arthur, Ron's father, shook his hand. "Good week, Harry?" he asked with a small hint of a frown between his eyes.

"Yes, Arthur. This one was calmer than most, wouldn't you say Ron?" Harry replied.

"Yeah, mate, definitely better than all of the wand dueling practice last week. Not my strongest skill, I guess," said Ron.

"Oh, you were fine," Hermione said. "You're just being too hard on yourself."

"How was your week, Arthur?" Harry asked, still feeling a bit funny addressing Mr. Weasley by his first name. But he'd been asked to do so.

"Good enough I suppose," Arthur answered, "although George has had me working at the Diagon Alley store in the evenings while he supervises the Christmas decorations. Not exactly my idea of quiet time after work."

"That reminds me," said Harry, "that tomorrow I HAVE to do some shopping. Anyone want to go?"

"I will," said Hermione, "especially if you are headed to the muggle shops. I need some things for Mum and Dad." Hermione had located her parents in Australia fairly quickly after the war ended and Ron and Harry had helped her to restore their memories. They moved back to England, although they now lived in a small village on the outskirts of London. This was to accommodate their new dental practice without a load of questions from previous patients, and to allow them to have a larger home and garden. Hermione had her own small flat in London but saw them often

Ron rather quietly said that he couldn't go, as he was meeting Katherine, his muggle friend, for lunch the next day. In the corner chair, his father raised his eyebrows and smiled.

At that moment, George and Angelina Johnson arrived and stepped from the fireplace. Molly then came in and called everyone to the table. They all sat down to eat and, as they were eating, Harry looked around at this group - his family as far as he was concerned. They loved him, and he them, and he was so grateful for their relationships. Especially Ron and Hermione. What would his life have been like without them? Would he even be alive to enjoy this moment? Somehow he thought not. Pushing these deep thoughts aside for the time being, Harry tucked in, laughing and talking with the rest.

Later, after a great dessert that Angelina had brought, and some quiet time by the fire, playing cards and talking, Harry rose to leave. He whispered to Hermione that he would like a word with her and asked if she would come to his flat when she left. She promised she would be along shortly and Harry left after thanking everyone for the meal and pleasant evening.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Harry walked up the stairs and into his London flat. He was close to Diagon Alley and yet still in a muggle area. Having grown up with the Dursleys, there were still some muggle items that Harry wanted to have in his home - a television and DVD player among them, and so this place suited him well for the time being. The electrical items would work even though he was a wizard, since he was surrounded by muggles in the building. Harry had learned in his first year at Hogwarts, that any time there were too many wizards in one area, electricity would not work correctly. So it was candles and Exploding Snap when the Weasleys came to visit.

He had rented number twelve, Grimmauld Place, to Neville Longbottom after they left school. Neville was re-doing the house during the summers and was a teaching assistant in Herbology at Hogwarts during the school year. Neville was also seeing Luna Lovegood whenever he could, although not at the school. Normally a teacher would not see a student under any circumstances, but the war had changed many things. Luna and Neville were both "old souls" to begin with, and the war had only "aged" them more. Since Luna was in her last year at Hogwarts they were still at an an early stage of their relationship but Harry felt that their being together would surely stand the test of time. Luna's gentle, loving ways were just what Neville needed after his childhood struggles and she loved him for his warm heart and brave demeanor.

Kreacher happily served Harry by serving Neville at both Hogwarts and Grimmauld Place. Neville seemed to understand the elderly elf. Perhaps this was due to his being raised by his elderly grandmother but, for whatever reason, Neville and Kreacher had become fast friends , with Neville treating Kreacher well and the elf working harder than ever for his temporary "master."

Harry's flat was in an older building on a fairly busy street. He was close enough to the Leaky Cauldron that he walked there most mornings, had a quick breakfast and apparated directly to the Ministry. This suited Harry and also Tom the landlord, as he had always wished to better know the Boy Who Lived. He had known Harry's father James well and now felt a sense of responsibility for Harry, although he kept this to himself.

Harry flopped down on his comfortable brown couch and began to peruse the new Quibbler that had arrived the previous day, but before he got finished with the story he was reading, there was a knock at his door. After checking his peephole, despite the protective wards he had installed, Harry opened the door and stood aside to allow Hermione to enter. She smiled and, noting the magazine on the couch, and the comfort of the cozy den, said, "Harry, it is so good to see you in your own place, relaxing a bit and just being still. Reminds me a bit of some of our times in that ratty old tent, with the exception that there's no price on your head of course!" She laughed and Harry suddenly noticed her lovely smile and the faint blush on her cheeks from her short walk in the cold air.

"So, what did you need to chat about Harry - work?" Hermione asked. Harry went and sat down, shook his head and patted the seat beside him and she came and sat down.

"Hermione, with Christmas coming and things finally slowing a bit at the Ministry, I have been thinking about that Christmas that we spent in that 'ratty old tent' as you call it. I've been thinking of Godric's Hollow, of my mum and dad of course and, maybe strangely, of the Durselys," Harry said.

"Well Harry, I don't think that's unusual. Alll of us get a bit nostalgic at the holidays, I guess," Hermione replied.

"Yes, but this is more than that Hermione. I just feel that there is so much unfinished business in my life, I guess. I've not seen the Dursleys since they were sent into hiding and they did raise me, athough they certainly didn't want to. I've been chased, twice now, from my original home by a mad murderer, not to mention the war and all of the losses that led up to and followed it, and I have begun to ask myself why all of this happened to us and what I need to do to feel right about all of it. Things just don't feel settled," Harry said.

Hermione looked deeply into Harry's green eyes with her dark brown ones. She saw the haunted look she had seen so often over the years. She wanted to make that look disappear, for she had always felt that Harry had suffered enough. Now that they were young adults, she often thought that she didn't know how he could have come out of everything, particularly his final confrontations with Voldemort, so sane and grounded.

But she knew of theses times all too welll. The times when he questioned himself and his life and the losses he and others had suffered. She gently took his hand in hers and gave it a squeeze. She leaned her forehead close to touch his and asked quietly, "Harry, do you want me to go back with you, to Godric's Hollow - just for a visit and a look round?"

Harry leaned back and gazed at her. A night in the tent came into his mind. Ron had left and they both felt so alone. Hermione had hugged him close, seeming to need the nearness herself more than usual. He remembered her light perfume and how it seemed so right, somehow, for her. He remembered looking into her eyes that night and feeling an urge to kiss her, which he had quickly dismissed, thinking it was just the result of being alone so much and so stressed and anxious.

Now, however, he wasn't in a "ratty old tent," stressed and anxious. He was alone with this wonderful young woman, his best friend, who had stuck with him through thick and thin and seemed to understand him as no one else did. "Yes Hermione," he said quietly, "I think I would like that." Then he stopped talking and they both moved closer. Time seemed to stop as Harry closed his eyes and leaned in to lightly brush Hermione's lips with his own. He leaned back to look at her and she raised her eyes to him.

"Harry," she whispered. And then they both leaned in for a longer kiss. Her mouth was warm and Harry felt as though his stomach was falling, ...falling. His heart sped up. What was happening? He broke the kiss gently adnd brought Hermione's chin up to look at her. She was so beautiful. How had he never realized just how beautiful? "Hermione, what just happened?" he asked.

"I... I'm not sure Harry," she said, "But I can't honestly say that I'm sorry, although it does scare me a bit."

"Me too," Harry replied. They were both silent and still for a moment and then Harry stirred and said, "I think I'd like to make some tea. Would you care for some?"

"Yes please," Hermione replied with a small smile. "I guess we've picked up on Molly's habits more than we realized."

Harry slowly waked into the kitchen, rubbing his chin and thinking to himself. He certainly hadn't planned this and he hoped Hermione knew it. He wouldn't risk their friendship for anything and he thought she felt the same way. He made the tea and brought it back to her.

Harry," she said, "I don't know what or why this just happened but I want you to know that I value our friendship above almost anything. I didn't see this coming at all."

It was just as if she had read his mind, Harry thought. "Neither did I, Hermione, but if felt good and right, didn't it?" he asked.

"Yes," she replied quietly.

She sipped her tea a moment and then Harry said, "Hermione, may I kiss you again?" She nodded, and he did.


	3. Chapter 3

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 3

Harry smiled as he got ready to meet Hermione for breakfast the next morning. He thought about the night before, how they had gone to her flat and stayed up talking,and sometimes more, until two a.m. _After all these years, how is it we still have so much to say_, he asked himself. Then he frowned. What if Hermione was regretting the evening? It was only a bit of snogging, well _quite_ a bit, but still? What if she didn't show up for breakfast? Harry's heart started beating uncomfortably fast and then he caught a glimpse of himself in the mirror. He took a deep breath, held it for a moment, and let it out. Hermione would never let him down. She'd show up. He didn't know exactly what she would say, but she would be there.

After finishing his morning routine, Harry walked to the Leaky Cauldron. His breath formed heavy puffs in the cold air as he made his way quickly down the street. He opened the door to the welcoming warmth and found himself facing the familiar bar. He glanced around and saw that Hermione had not yet arrived and so he took a small corner table where he had a view of the door. Tom brought over a pot of tea and, before he could pour, the door opened and there she stood, nervously glancing around. She saw Harry looking at her and smiled. Walking toward the table, she stopped and asked for tea as well. Harry stood as she reached him and then they both sat, facing each other across the small table.

Hermione smiled again and said quietly, "Good morning Harry."

"Good morning," Harry replied. "Are you awake yet?"

"I will be when I have my tea," she replied. Tom brought her toast and jam. Silence fell for a moment and then both of them spoke at once. "Harry," she said.

"Hermione," Harry said. "You first," he said, laughing.

"Okay," Hermione said. "Harry, last night was, well, it was wonderful. Still scary, but wonderful. I wanted you to know that I truly want to see where this will take us. I think that, if I am honest, I have thought of this many times but, I don't know...," her words trailed off.

Taking her hand, Harry replied, "I feel the same way. Last night I remembered a night in the tent when I thought of kissing you but didn't. I guess I'm really slow," he laughed.

"Not slow, Harry, just careful, but in a good way," she replied.

Tom returned then with more toast and they began to eat and chat, moving next to talking with Ron about this turn in their relationship. They decided, for now, to wait before mentioning it to anyone. They both felt they wanted to be more sure of themselves before anyone began watching, or worse, like George, taking bets on how things would turn out! This started them laughing and talk veered to more mundane matters and to deciding which stores they wanted to visit in Diagon Alley. Thinking it easiest, they decided to save lunch and muggle London for the afternoon.

After finishing breakfast, they stepped out into the little alley behind the bar, tapped the appropriate bricks and waited for the archway to open into the fascinating wizard street. They immediately set off for the wizarding toy shop to pick up something for Harry's godson Teddy Lupin. After making their choices, Harry said, "You know, I really need to contact Andromeda to see if Teddy can come over soon. I need to spend some time with him - I haven't seen him for almost three weeks. I don't usually let that much time go by."

Hermione thought for a minute then said, "You know Harry, I'd love to see Teddy too. Why don't we ask if we could take him with us when we visit Godric's Hollow? It always makes things more cheerful with a little one around. I can go tomorrow if you'd like."

"That's a good idea," Harry replied. "Now let's get some toys."

Holding hands, the two marveled at the lovely store windows as they continued their shopping. Later, after placing their purchases down inside Hermione's newest bag, Harry remarked, "Those undetectable extension charms are truly a wonder, Hermione."

"Yes, they're a bit tricky but well worth it when you can lighten your load a little," Hermione said

Neither noticed the slim young man with the brown beard who was watching them from the entrance to Knockturn Alley.


	4. Chapter 4

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 4

"Let's get a taxi Harry. My treat! I haven't ridden in one for so long and I always loved them when I was a little girl. It seemed the cabbies were almost always cheerful and ready for a nice chat," Hermione said.

"Sounds good," Harry replied. "I've only ever taken one since we became aurors. A few times I've had a long trek in the muggle areas so I took one. The Dursleys certainly never spent a dime on a taxi that I know about. Of course, they never took me anywhere if they could help it."

"Well, then let's make some good 'taxi memories,'" Hermione replied. They flagged down one of the roomy cars and began to talk amiably with the driver. Hermione whispered the destination to the young man then said, "I really want to go to Harrod's Harry. I hope that's okay."

"That would be a good choice for me as well since I have decided to pick up something to send to Dudley," said Harry.

Hermione looked at Harry in surprise but then she smiled. "Harry, I think that is one of the things I have always been so amazed about when I am around you - your forgiving spirit - I must admit that I don't always know how you can do it."

"You know, I think it must be my parents within me Hermione," Harry said quietly. "Dumbledore and Sirius always said that they could see the two of them there. I don't quite understand it since I was with them for such a short itme." Hermione took Harry's hand and squeezed it softly.

They arrived at Harrod's at last and stepped out into a cold wind so they quickly entered the huge department store. Its decorations were absolutely amazing, missing nothing but the mischievious movement of wizarding scenes. "I've always loved this place but it is always a bit overwhelming if you haven't been in for a while," Hermione said.

Harry gazed around in utter fascination. "How can so many things be under one roof?" he wondered aloud. Hermione suddenly realized that Harry had never been to this London institution. She would have to show him around - but that could take two days, she thought to herself.

"Come on. Let's go to one of the restaurants. All of that walking in Diagon Alley has me starving!" Hermione laughed. After a good lunch, sans dessert, the two walked through the crowd of shoppers to the men's department. "I think I want to get Dad a new jumper," said Hermione. "Can you help me choose a color Harry?"

Harry continued to gape at the elaborately decorated walls and high ceilings. It was like the muggle equivalent to the Great Hall in a way - only this was completely, overwhelmingly commercial. "I'll help with the jumper if you help me later with a gadget for Dudley," Harry replied.

"Sounds fine," Hermione said, already beginning to go through racks of lovely cashmere. At last they chose a nice soft brown and began to look at the most up-to-date gadgets especially made for young men.

"Some of these things are amazing," Harry replied. "I haven't really looked round in a muggle store for a long time and Arthur is right - it really is quite a wonder the things that mugges come up with to use in place of magic," he said quietly.

After Harry made his choice, he and Hermione paid for both of their purchases with muggle money that they had exchanged in Gringotts. Hermione then suggested they go up to the fast food floor and visit the sweets area to have dessert. "There is a treat I have read about that I want to try. They are doughnuts from the U. S. called Krispy Kreme. I've heard they are great."

Within a few minutes they were out of the queue and each had one of the warm glazed goodies. "Wow, Hermione, this is delicious. Awfully sweet though - can't eat too many - but really good," Harry remarked.

Hermione laughed as she carefully wiped the corner of Harry's mouth with a napkin. "Well now I know what to get you for Christmas to take the place of treacle fudge!" she laughed.

When they were finished eating, they wandered the store to buy a few more things. Harry was still amazed at the immensity, the lovely oversized decorations, and the sheer quantity of merchandise. He decided, since he watched Hermione exclaim over several items, that he would come back later and choose a gift for her.

When they finally finished, they took another taxi and got out close to the Leaky Cauldron. Harry wanted to apparate to Andromeda's to find out about Teddy before going home. Hermione went inside the bar and found a table to sit for a moment while Harry went out back and apparated to his little godson's home.

Harry found himself right inside the fence of Andromeda's house. He walked up to the door and knocked, hoping she was at home. She came to the door, opened it and smiled. "Harry, It's so good to see you. I thought you might pop in today. Teddy!" she called. "Look who's come to see you!"

The little toddler came stumbling to the door. Harry laughed to see that, at the moment, his hair was a bright lime green, matching the dragon toy that was clutched in his arm. "Heh-wee!" he squealed and came to the door as quickly as possible, holding up both arms waiting to be picked up.

"Hi Teddy," Harry said, giving the little one a hug. "And how are you today? Who is this?" he asked, pointing to the dragon.

"Dat Whippy," said Teddy.

Andromeda laughed. "Yes Harry, meet Whippy," she said. "We don't go anywhere without him these days. Bill and Fleur sent him over and he has not been sitting down since he was unwrapped from the package."

Holding Teddy, Harry walked with Andromeda down the hallway and into the small den to sit down and talk for a moment. "Would you like to stay for dinner Harry?" Andromeda asked.

"No, but thank you," Harry replied. "I can't stay. I just came over to see if Hermione and I could come and get Teddy tomorrow. We are going to have a look round Godric's Hollow and, well, Hermione thought that it would help to have Teddy with us - make things more cheerful. I have been wanting to see him anyway. I don't usually let this much time go by."

"Well, I think that is a wonderful idea and I know he would love to have some time with you. It's been several weeks since we've seen him with dark, messy hair," she laughed, referring to Teddy's propensity to change his hair color and texture to match any new person he was with. "And I would dearly love a break so that I can go and visit a friend of mine who is ill."

Harry nodded. "Well, what time shall we pick him up then?" asked Harry.

"He will probably have a bit of a morning nap until around eleven - still does most mornings. Rather amazing that he still takes one so early, but I think he plays so much during the rest of the day that he just has to have two small naps rather than one longer one most days, " she said.

"Okay then, we'll plan to come around eleven and keep him until dinner time, how's that?" Harry asked.

"That would be fine Harry." She paused. "I am truly glad that Nymphadora and Remus chose you as Teddy's godfather. I can see now why they did. You're awfully good to him. Most young men your age wouldn't be bothered with a toddler unless it was their own."

"Well, Andromeda, after what I went through in my own life, I just want little Teddy to know he is loved very much," Harry said. "And anyway, it is impossible not to care for him, sweet little guy that he is, and funny too, already."

"Heh-wee stay and pway wif Whippy?" asked Teddy.

"Just for a while Teddy. Hermione is waiting for me. But she and I will come and take you on a trip tomorrow, okay?" Harry said.

"Okay Heh-wee," the little boy said.

Harry played with the dinosaur for a few more minutes and then gave a kiss to Teddy, whose hair was now dark and very messy. "See you both tomorrow," he said, and apparated back to Hermione.

When he returned to the Leaky Cauldron, Hermione had once again placed their packages into her bag. Then they stepped into the fireplace and flooed to Hermione's flat. She had set her fireplace for an evening floo appointment because she normally had spells, like most of the aurors, so that no one could go in and out uninvited.

Harry helped Hermione take off her coat and then they separated their packages. "We'll need to pick up Teddy around eleven, Hermione," Harry said. "I hope that is okay."

"Sure, that will be fine. Would you like to come here first? We can have breakfast and then apparate from that little alley a few blocks down. It is always deserted," Hermione said.

"Okay," said Harry. "Around nine okay?"

"Great," she replied.

"Come here Hermione and let's sit down for a moment. I am knackered after all of that shopping. I don't know how you women do it!" Harry said with a smile. Hermione went and sat beside him on her couch. Soon they were curled up next to one another, Hermione stroking Harry's hair.

"You know, I've always liked how your hair is usually a bit mussed, Harry," she whispered.

"Usually?" Harry laughed. "Try 'always' and it is more than a _bit_ mussed," he said ruefully.

"Don't ever change it," she said, giving him a light kiss.

"Okay," whispered Harry and he pulled her into his arms.


	5. Chapter 5

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks so much for reading. It is thrilling to have people on board from so many different countries! Thanks for welcoming me to the Potter community of writers. Love to have more reviews. **

Chapter 5

Harry and Hermione took their time eating breakfast and talking the next morning. An owl had delivered Hermione's Daily Prophet. She usually didn't get one until she got to work so that she didn't have owls popping into her flat every day, but on Sundays she took the chance to have the paper delivered. They both read it, more for entertainment value than for real news. They had learned that even though things were settled in the wizarding world, the Prophet was still a bit unreliable.

At eleven, they walked down to the deserted alleyway and apparated to Andromeda's home. Little Teddy was already awake from a very brief nap and ready to go with Heh-wee and My-nee. "We'll see you after dinner, Andromeda," Harry said after getting Teddy's things and placing them in Hermione's bag. "Bye-bye Gwanny Meh-da," Teddy said and they went outside and apparated to a country lane just outside Godric's Hollow.

Hermione and Harry put Teddy carefully down between them and each grabbed a tiny hand. They walked down the lane to the village center and up to the memorial site and paused for a moment. "Baby!" said Teddy, as the memorial changed to the statue of baby Harry and his parents. Harry and Hermione laughed. "I think you were right, Hermione. This will be easier with Teddy aong. Let's walk up the street here."

They walked, ducking their heads a bit as a cold breeze hit them. They saw all of the typical stores you would see in such a quaint village - a bakery, small grocery, a few pubs, and, of course, the post. "I guess my mum and dad would have come here sometimes," Harry said when they were in front of the grocery. "I wonder if anyone would remember them?" When little Teddy pointed to a pastry in the windeow of the bakery, they saw that it was open and went in to purchase the small sweet for him.

Then they went further down the little street where they saw a green space. It turned out to be a small park so they let Teddy have a bit of a walk round the equipment, even sitting him on a small swing and giving him a push. With each push he squealed, and the hair he had turned dark and messy became a different color so that Hermione was kept busy changing it back with a coloring charm so that no muggles would see.

At last, when Teddy tired of the swing, Harry went toward a wooded area in back of the park. He looked around to be certain that they were alone and waved his wand to make a wreath from the cedar trees standing near. "Let's go back to the church," he said to Hermione as he picked up little Teddy to carry him.

The small congregation was just leaving worship as the three arrived in the back of the church. They stepped through the kissing gate and walked to where they knew Harry's parents were buried. Harrry had given the wreath to Hermione and she placed it gently in front of the grave. They stood for a moment, Harry reading every word on the tombstome, as if he needed to memorize the scene.

"Hello," a friendly voice said to Harry's right. They both started a bit and turned to see a friendly looking middle-aged man standing nearby. From the collar he wore, they could see that he was the priest. He was in good shape, looked to be fond of exercise, and had a friendly smile. "Sorry. Didn't mean to startle you," he said. "I'm Mark Vollander, the vicar here." He stuck out his hand to Hermione first and then to Harry, who shook as best he could while holding Teddy. "That's a cute one you have there," Father Mark said.

"Thank you," said Harry. "This is Hermione Granger. I'm Harry Potter and this is my godson Teddy Lupin."

"Well it's nice to meet you all," said Mark. "Potter," he said thoughtfully and looked down at the tombstone and read its' dates. "Oh are these your relatives then, Harry?" he asked.

"Yes. My parents. They were killed as part of..." Harry thought quickly as he didn't want to outright lie to a priest of all people. "They were...operatives with a special mission for the government," he finally finished.

"Killed together?" Mark asked with a look of astonishment. "How sad for you." He glanced at the dates. "You must have been a mere baby yourself. I can't believe I haven't heard about it."

"Their work required them to keep to themselves mostly so that is probably why you haven't heard of it. They lived just outside the village and so were buried here. I was given to my aunt and uncle to be raised. I wanted to come and have a look round since my aunt and uncle never brought me here as I was growing up," Harry said, all the while wondering why this man was so interested. He seemed so kind though.

"Well, I'm certainly glad to have met you both," Father Vollander said. "I am always happy to meet those who have some connection to our church here. I love that verse," he said, pointing to Harry's parents' tombstone. "The last enemy that shall be destroyed is death. From the book of Revelation. So full of hope, just like the rest of the book." He paused. "Are you hungry? My wife Cassandra and I are just headed to the pub for a bite to eat. We don't have a lot of young adults your age here in the village. We'd be pleased to have you join us," he continued.

"Oh Harry, that would be great, don't you think?" Hermione asked. Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise at her.

"Well, I guess that would be fine, if you don't mind having a little one along," said Harry.

"Oh no. We would love it. We have a son about your age. He is already married with a baby on the way. We can practice our grandparenting. Let me go and rescue Cassie from the older ladies and we'll meet you at the memorial," Father Vollander said.

Harry shifted Teddy in his arms and looked at Hermione. "What was that about?" he asked.

"Oh, I don't know," said Hermione. "For some reason he just seems to be someone I'd like to know. It will be fine. It's not as though we've never eaten with muggles before, you know. And don't worry, I'll keep an eye, and a wand, on Teddy's hair," she laughed. "You know Harry, I guess I've never mentioned it, but my parents often took me to church when I was younger and I am finding as I get older that I miss it at times."

They walked over to the memorial, deciding not to stand too close in case Teddy started on about the "baby" again. Soon Father Mark and his wife Cassie came over. Mark introduced Cassie. She was a cute redhead with a lovely smile, as friendly looking as her husband.

"She's from the United States and I'm the jolly old Englishman who was lucky enough to meet her during my seminary days," Mark joked. "How do you like our memorial?" he asked. "You'll think I'm going round the twist but I keep telling Cassie that this thing seems to change sometimes when I look at it. Almost looks like the statue of a young man or something. As they say in America, 'crazy' yeah?" he finished.

Harry gave Hermione a curious look, raising his eyebrows slightly. "Oh, it's probably just the light," Hermione offered.

"That's what I keep telling him," said Cassie as she took Mark's arm.


	6. Chapter 6

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 6

As they walked to the pub, Mark asked, "So where did you two meet? Both from near here?"

Hermione spoke up quickly. "We met at a boarding school in Scotland." Then, wishing to change the subject, she asked Cassie about the United States, not knowing a lot on this subject, as it hadn't been taught at Hogwarts.

Teddy was a little sweetheart all during the meal, but kept Hermione's wand busy as he attempted to change his hair to blonde like their waitress. He ate well after Harry carefully cut up his food. _It sure is a lot of work to keep a little one safe and happy_, he thought to himself.

"So" Mark asked, "where are little Teddy's parents today since they are so lucky to have babysitters?"

Harry gazed at Hermione, tears coming to his eyes. "I'm afraid that Teddy's parents are deceased also," Harry said.

"Yes," continued Hermione, thinking quickly. "His mother worked with Harry's parents and, later his father did as well. They were killed on a similar mission," she finished.

Mark looked at Cassie and raised both brows. Then he moved his eyes back to Harry. "My goodness," he exclaimed. "Both you and Teddy! This must be very hard to live with. What part of the government did they work for?" He looked at Harry, waiting for a response, compassion showing in his eyes.

Harry nodded and then said, "Well, ...they all worked for ...a special branch of the government specializing in ...terrorist-type infiltration, I guess you could say." He thought fast to try to change the subject. "It's strange you should mention the difficulty of living with it because, of course, I have been thinking a lot about all of it today. Actually for the last several weeks. Brooding, I suppose, since it is getting close to the holidays."

"Well, at least you have your aunt and uncle," Cassie said.

"I'm afraid not," said Harry. "They weren't particularly happy to have to raise me, and we don't have a relationship anymore. Teddy is luckier though. He lives with his grandmother, his mum's mum, and has a happy life. She is a great lady. I try to see him as often as I can as well."

"Well then, as hard as it is, I guess as we say in the church, God has brought some good out of the bad," said Mark.

"Yes, I guess so," said Harry, thinking all the while - _how is this conversation happening - I know nothing about God_. Harry looked over at Hermione. She had a strange look on her face.

"So, where was this little guy christened?" Mark asked.

Harry blushed. He only knew this word from hearing Uncle Vernon banging on about having to buy a gift for someone's child at their christening. He had asked what it meant at the time and had gotten an earful from Aunt Petunia before being told to ask no more questions! "Um," he said, "I'm not really sure that he has been. His parents died when he was very young. I guess I should have seen to it, but his grandmother never mentioned it and I..." Harry trailed off.

"Well Harry, if you want, I will be more than happy to meet with you and Teddy's grandmother and he can be baptized right here in Godric's Hollow," said Mark.

Harry, feeling that this line of conversation needed to stop said, "I'll talk to his grandmother when I take him back tonight. I'm not sure what she would want to do. We've never really discussed it, I'm afraid. My relatives were not churchgoers and I have to admit I have never thought much about it myself."

"No problem Harry. Just know that we are here. You think about it and let me know," Mark said. "Now," he continued, "how about a dessert?"

Mark called the waitress, everyone ordered and the conversation turned to more mundane matters. _Whew, _Harry thought.

After the meal, Harry, Hermione and Teddy said good-bye and left the pub and walked down the lane to apparate back to London. On the way they passed by Harry's old home. It looked as run down as it had when he and Hermione had visited before, worse really. "House," said Teddy, pointing his chubby finger.

"That's right Teddy," said Hermione. "That is the house where Harry used to live."

Harry looked and looked, all the while trying to remember anything of this place, but of course he couldn't. He was paying such close attention to looking at the various rooms that were visible through the foliage that he didn't hear the tiny pop from down the lane.

Suddenly, a young man with brown hair and stubble on a pointy chin came up beside of them and said quietly, "Hello Harry, Hermione,"

Startled, they peered closely at the young man. He looked terrible, as if the weight of the world had landed on his shoulders. At first they couldn't recognize him at all but then Hermione gasped. "Malfoy!" exclaimed Harry.


	7. Chapter 7

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 7

Draco Malfoy held his hands in the air, palms up. "No wand, Potter," he said quickly.

"What did you do, you foul worthless git? Follow us around until we had Teddy and you thought we'd be helpless?" Harry asked. "You are sadly mistaken! Get out your wand Hermione!"

"I already have it Harry," she said as Harry and Draco turned to look at her.

"Potter, Granger," Draco said, keeping his hands in the air, "I know you have no reason to believe me but honestly I have no wand or any means to harm you. I only waited until Teddy was with you because we really need to talk and I thought you might be more ready to listen when he was with you. I know that both of you need to take me in and I am more than willing to come, in fact I WANT to come with you, but I need for you to hear me out first," Malfoy said.

"Why should we believe ANYTHING that you say Malfoy?" Harry shouted. "How many times have you tried to kill me and you think that I am going to stand here and listen to whatever you want to say?"

Teddy's lower lip began to quiver at Harry's raised voice and then he began to cry. "Great Malfoy, now look what you've done!" said Hermione, finally showing the wand she had been gripping underneath her coat.

Malfoy raised his hands higher. "Honestly, I just want to talk Harry," he said quietly. "Then I promise I will go with you. I know that I owe you my life Potter, several times over, and believe me when I say that I know what that truly means now in a way I never have before."

To try to calm Teddy down, Hermione took him in her arms and began to softly rock him. As she did, Harry pulled out his wand and pointed it at Malfoy. "Okay Malfoy," he spat out, "start talking. You have one minute. And the first thing you can do is explain the disguise. How did you transfigure yourself if you really have no wand?"

"Harry, my father took my wand - long story - and this is muggle stuff. See?" Malfoy asked as he pulled on his hair and stroked his chin while still keeping one hand in the air. "I had to disguise myself because I know that by now, my father is looking for me and he will kill me if he finds me."

"How do we know that you aren't just trying to trap us?" Harry asked.

"Well, I guess you don't, except that I have come here alone and without a wand and I am begging you to take me to the ministry to save my life," Draco said. He slowly lowered his hands but kept them where they could be seen and continued speaking. "First, I need to ask if Hermione is okay from my aunt's treatment?"

"Hermione? Since when do you call her that?" Harry asked.

"I'm fine now Malfoy," Hermione said, disregarding Harry's anger for a moment. "Only an occasional nightmare. I was lucky that Fleur had learned some potions at Beauxbatons that she was able to prepare which kept me from scarring."

"That's good," Draco replied. "I am so sorry that I let her do that to you Granger. I'm so sorry for everything." Tears came to his eyes. "I have wasted so much of my life making the wrong choices, just like Dumbledore said on the Astronomy Tower that night, Potter. I know that I can't fix everything, but I want to keep things from getting worse. My father is planning something with his cousin. I don't know the whole plan but I know they must be stopped. I finally had enough three days ago and had a horrible shouting match with my father. He took my wand and I honestly thought he was going to kill me right then and there. But he didn't. He just spat at me and walked away. I left and haven't been back. By now I am sure he knows I am not coming back and he is probably looking for me. If he catches me, well, it would have been better if you all had left me with the fire in the Room of Requirement!"

"I've wished many times that we had, Malfoy," Harry replied.

"I can't blame you. But, I guess I have taken up my minute. I will go with you back to Londdon. Do you think they might give me some food at the Ministry? I haven't eaten in two days," Draco asked.

"Hermione, is he asleep?" Harry asked, referring to Teddy.

"Yes he is, poor little guy," she replied.

"Okay, will you please apparate back to the alley in back of the Leaky Cauldron and I will meet you there with this one," Harry said, gesturing to Malfoy with contempt. "We can contact Wooster or Bridges and they can bring him in and you and I can take Teddy home. Do you see that lovely little boy, Malfoy?" You and your kind have robbed him of his parents! Make you feel good?" Harry asked as Hermione turned on the spot. Draco began to weep silently.

"Come on," Harry said, as he grabbed Malfoy and apparated away.


	8. Chapter 8

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 8

"Hermione, can you ask Tom to help with Teddy while you go and get Wooster?" Harry asked.

"Sure Harry," Hermione said. "You wait here."

Hermione stepped into the warm bar and handed Teddy carefully to Tom. Then she quickly flooed to the Ministry and directly back with Wooster and Bridges, two of the senior aurors who were on duty that night. She brought them back outside to where Harry was still holding his wand on a silent Malfoy who was seated on the ground, despite the cold.

"Well, young Mr. Malfoy," said Wooster. "As the muggles say, 'to what do we owe the pleasure?'"

Harry spoke up. "Let's just take him in Wooster and we can get the story then. I am freezing out here and he says he hasn't eaten in two days and I certainly don't want a star witness to die of hunger," he said. The three aurors grabbed Malfoy's arms and apparated to their workplace.

When they all reached the ministry, Malfoy immediately put his hands up again in a posture of submission. Harry didn't trust him for a second. He kept his wand pointed as Wooster did a check to see if Malfoy was carrying any dangerous objects. When none were found, Harry explained to Wooster that he needed to get back and take Teddy home. Wooster summoned some food for Malfoy. Remarkably, Malfoy thanked the auror and then tucked in quickly.

When Harry arrived back at the bar, however, Hermione had already contacted Andromeda and she was there, holding the still sleeping Teddy. "Andromeda, I am sorry about this," Harry said.

"Don't give it another thought, Harry," she said. "I am just grateful that you three are all right. Teddy will understand when he wakes up."

"I hope so," Harry said. "We sure had a great time with him today. He really does add joy to somber occasions."

"Yes," Andromeda replied. "Children truly are one of life's greatest gifts."

"Oh," said Harry. "I need to stop by in a few days and tell you about something that happened today." He looked over at Hermione. "We met a priest, the one who serves at the church where my parents are buried and...well,...I'll fill you in when I have more time. I guess we need to get back to the ministry. See you in a few days."

"Give Teddy a kiss for both of us," Hermione said. "Goody-bye."

"Good-bye you two. I hope you don't have to work all night," Andromeda said as she turned on the spot.

00000000000000000000

When they arrived back at the ministry, Wooster spoke to Harry and Hermione. "Potter, Granger, I think you should let me handle this interrogation. I know that you have great skill, but you are both new at questioning and probing for answers. Malfoy could be the most important prisoner we have had all year."

"But Wooster, we know him and he did contact Hermione and me specifically," Harry said.

At that moment Kingsley Shacklebolt arrived. He greeted all of the aurors and asked who was going in. "We really want to do this Minister," Harry said. "Hermione and I were both contacted by Draco directly and he seems to want to talk just to us."

"Harry," Shacklebolt asked, "given your history with Malfoy and his family, do you really think you are the best person to be going in?"

"All the more reason, Minister," replied Harry.

Hermione spoke at last. "We really do want to talk to him, Minister. Something is definitely different. The Malfoy we knew would never have turned himself in. Either he is doing a great acting job, or something has happened to him. I think that, having known him for years, we are more likely to be able to tell which one."

Kingsley looked at Wooster. "Wooster, this is your call. You are the senior officer here."

Wooster looked at Harry and Hermione. "All right Potter. You and Granger can go in but Bridges and I will be listening. If we think you are having problems, we WILL interrupt and finish this ourselves," Wooster said sternly.

"We understand sir," said Harry. Hermione nodded and they both turned to enter the interrogation room. As they went in they saw that Draco was sitting at a white table, twiddling his fingers nervously and obviously taking deep breaths to calm himself. It looked as though someone had given him a sandwich and some water. Only some crusts and a few drops of water were left as evidence.

Hermione spoke first. "What is your story, Draco?" she asked.

Harry raised his eyebrows at her use of Malfoy's first name. _Don't fall for this too quickly, Hermione_, he thought.

"After the fighting stopped that day at Hogwarts, my mother, father and I sat in the Great Hall for a short time. You saw us Harry," Draco replied.

"Yes," said Harry, "and I assumed that the aurors would pick you up within a reasonable amount of time. I had no idea that you would escape," Harry continued with contempt in his voice.

"I didn't want to go Harry. You have to believe me. I was sick of it all by then and just relieved to be alive. I knew by that time that you all were right...had been right all along...and I didn't much care what happened to me at that point but my father, oh, my father, he wasn't about to get caught. He had found a wand somewhere and he threatened my mother and me with a quick death if we didn't apparate away with him. She was sick of it all as well, but we knew he was serious so we just walked out of the hall and as soon as we were far enough, my father grabbed my mother and I and apparated to some small village he had visited when he was younger. He threatened then to kill my mother for betraying Voldemort. He told us both that he should kill us for stopping the Death Eaters, but he said that he would let her go if I would stay with him and assist his own rise to power. He knew that he would have to get some 'associates" quickly or everyone would be after him," Draco explained. He spoke quickly but in a tired voice, almost as if he couldn't wait to tell his story, but was too tired to care about the consequences.

He stopped for a moment to wipe his forehead. He was sweating profusely and Harry grabbed his cup and filled it with water from his wand. He moved it over to Malfoy who took it and nodded his thanks.

"My mother begged him to let me go with her. She said she would take me to where he would never see us again but he refused. He said that if I didn't stay and make him look good, in other words lie about my mother, that he would kill us both right then. I told my mother to go." He paused to gather himself. "My own mother. I told her to go and not try to find me. I know that if he ever gets wind of her again, she will not last one hour," he finished.

"But Draco, as far as we are concerned, she is still a wanted criminal and we need to find her and try her," Hermione said.

"Draco sighed and said, "Yes, I know and I will give you all of the information I know about our relatives here and abroad as soon as I tell you the rest of this story. Because I have to tell it. We have to find my father and soon or we will have another problem as big as Voldemort on our hands."


	9. Chapter 9

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 9

**Thanks for continuing to read. Would love some more reviews!**

After finally finishing at the Ministry, Harry and Hermione went straight to the Burrow, without even announcing themselves first. They had to bring Ron up to speed. Everyone else seemed to be asleep but Ron was sitting on the couch reading a quidditch magazine when they stepped from the fireplace.

"What! Hey, what brings you two here at this time of night? Decided to bring our Christmas presents over early, have you?" Ron asked.

"Afraid not, mate," Harry replied. "We've been at work and now we've come to tell you about it. You'll never believe our evening."

Hermione then took over and began to tell Ron all that had happened with Draco. His jaw began to drop lower and lower the more she went on with her story.

Harry finished by saying, "Wooster finally told us to leave and be back with you, in the morning, by seven o'clock"

"Can't be true," Ron exclaimed. "Can't be. I just don't believe that git has come round. It has to be some plot."

"I am having a hard time with it too, but I guess we will know more in the morning," said Harry. He glanced at his watch. "It will be seven before we know it so we had better go. Good night."

"Good night. See you both in the morning," Ron said. He continued to stare straight ahead, lost in thought, as they stepped into the fireplace and left.

000000000000000000000000

A few moments later, Hermione gazed over at Harry as they sat on his couch. He looked so weary, as weary as she felt. She gently turned him around and began to massage his shoulders.

"That feels really good, Hermione," Harry said. "Why didn't you ever try that when we were in that ratty tent?"

She turned him to face her. "Because I was so anxious during that whole year that my own shoulder muscles had completely seized up! Why should I be rubbing anyone else's?" she giggled. _I am really getting too tired if I am giggling tonight after everything that's happened_, she thought.

"I just don't know whether to believe Malfoy's story or not," Harry began.

"Shh," said Hermione. "No more tonight. We have to let it go for now. There will be time enough tomorrow. Since Wooster wants us so early, can I just stay here Harry?" she asked.

Harry turned to face her. "Sure. The guest room is all made up. Believe it or not, I actually changed the sheets after the last time Ron was here. All of that housework with Aunt Petunia has finally come in handy, I guess," Harry said.

Harry moved closer to Hermione. He cupped his hand under her chin and leaned in for a kiss. The kiss deepened and Hermione began to feel weak. Her heart was pounding. Her hands were trembling. At last she gently pushed Harry away. She looked down at her lap. "Harry, let's stop now and get a good night's sleep. I have a feeling we are going to need our rest for tomorrow."

Harry leaned over for one last brief kiss. He smiled. "You're right, as always. I will see you around six, okay?"

"Yes," she said "Good night Harry."

00000000000000000000000000

Harry lay still in his bed trying to quiet his heart. He couldn't believe all that had happened in the past forty-eight hours. He had kissed Hermione! It was unbelievable to him how he had lived without her as his,...what,... girlfriend for so long. He remembered telling Dumbledore that they were just friends. Was he in love? Did he even really know what that meant? It was so much to take in.

And then there was Malfoy. It was enough to boggle anyone's mind. According to the rest of the story, Malfoy had been following his father around for the last eighteen months, living in various houses of criminal wizards, mostly former Death Eaters, all of whom had eluded capture and had committed murder. They also owed Lucius vast amounts of money. They were now being called upon to protect him or be killed or given over to aurors. Lucius had vials with captured memories of their crimes locked in his vault at Gringotts and they all knew that if Lucius were to die, the vault would be opened and there would be no escape once the memories were viewed. When asked, Malfoy could not explain how his father was able to get in and out of his vault.

Malfoy also knew that his father was in league with his cousin who had escaped in the failed capture by the auror department. They were up to something in the town of Portsmouth, in the south of England. Britain's historic dockyard there figured into their plans in some way but he had been unable to learn the entire scheme. For his part, Harry wondered if this whole story was just a plot to lure the auror department into a trap.

"All I know is that they plan to murder more muggle government officials at a huge celebration that is scheduled to take place in the dockyard at the first of the year. They kept saying that no one could stop them now that 'it' had been finished," Malfoy had said.

Harry had asked what 'it' was, but Malfoy just shook his head. He did not know. His father had taken a cue from Voldemort and only told certain people what they had a need to know, and Malfoy was NOT one of those. That way, no one but he and his cousin knew the entire plan. "But I think that they plan to overthrow the International Statute of Secrecy once they have killed these particular officials," Malfoy had said before he hung his head and stopped talking. Bridges and Wooster had come in then and taken him to a special holding cell for the night to await more questioning the next day. All involved were too fatigued to do more, and Harry and Hermione then had decided to go because they wanted to tell Ron everything as well.

Harry closed his eyes as his mind spun. Hermione. Malfoy. Hermione. Malfoy. How would he ever fall asleep?


	10. Chapter 10

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 10

"Good morning Hermione," Harry whispered to her as she lay in his guest room. Hermione opened up to see his beautiful green eyes and smiled.

"Hi, Harry," she said.

He gave her a gentle kiss. "You are lovely even in the mornings," Harry said.

Hermione playfully pushed him away. "Not true so don't even go there," she said. "Get going so I can go to the loo."

Harry pouted but walked away. Soon she came into the kitchen where he was standing pouring tea and having a bit of toast. She walked up behind him and put her arms around his waist, leaning in close.

Harry turned around and hugged her. "Time for a proper snogging session," he whispered and leaned down to her. The kiss deepened until Hermione pulled away, smiled and said, "Harry if we don't stop, this tea will be way too cold to drink you know?"

"So?" he asked.

"So, if we are late Wooster AND Ron will have too many questions we don't want to answer right now and we have questions enough to deal with today," she answered.

"Okay," he said. "Last one dressed pays for lunch today!" And they both rushed into their rooms to get ready. Luckily Harry kept some extra things in his guest room or Hermione would not have been able to brush her teeth, something she couldn't bear, having been brought up by dentists. She also kept one of her older outfits in the closet for just such occasions, so she would be fine.

At last they were ready and after a quick look around, they left and walked to the Leaky Cauldron. As the pair came in, talk in the bar went silent. Harry looked at Tom questioningly and Tom came over with a copy of The Daily Prophet. The front page headline glared at them. MALFOY HEIR KILLED AT MINISTRY it read. They glanced at each other and then quickly back down at the page and began to read. According to the aricle, during the previous night, Malfoy had overpowered a guard, grabbed his wand and then cast a curse that had luckily missed the guard but had rebounded, knocking Malfoy powerfully into the stone wall and killing him instantly. An investigation had begun into the incident.

"We had better go quickly," Harry said and grabbed Hermione's hand, walked to the back alleyway and disapparated.

Harry and Hermione arrived just before Ron and, when he did, they all started talking at the same time. Ron had already seen the article and they were all astounded at the news. Arriving at Wooster's office they were ushered in immediately.

Wooster motioned for them all to sit and he spoke to them from behind his desk. "I suppose you have all read the Prophet article by now and are wondering what happened?" he asked. As they nodded, he continued speaking. "The article is false," he said. "The minister and I decided last night that since Lucius had had enough time to realize that Draco was gone, and was without a wand since Lucius took it himself, he would be suspicious of his son's motives. So, we decided that for Draco's safety and our own purposes we would put it out that Draco was killed."

The trio looked round at each other. Harry had the strangest feeling. On the one hand, he was sorry that Malfoy hadn't been killed. It seemed he certainly deserved it. On the other hand, though, Harry realized with a sense of acute wonder, that he didn't want Malfoy dead at all. What he wanted, needed, was for there to be some redemption out of this whole mess. He looked up at Wooster and inquired, "So, what do we do now?"

"Well," Wooster replied, "I think we have three major tasks ahead of us. First of all, the Minister is going to visit the muggle Prime Minister later today to make him aware of the situation and see if the Portsmouth celebration can be postponed. Second, Potter, you, Weasley and Granger need to talk further with Draco to get information on where his father has been hiding most recently. Third, you also need to get him to give you the whereabouts of his relatives abroad so that we can begin to trace Narcissa. I have a feeling that if we could find her, she might be of some help to us as well as her son."

"We'll go in straight away, sir," Hermione said. "Just let me grab a quill and parchment from my desk."

The trio walked down the hall to the same room Draco had been in the evening before. Draco stood as they walked into the room and then sat again, looking quite defeated. It was obvious that he had not slept much at all. "Hello, Weasley," he said.

"Malfoy," Ron grunted. "Risen from the dead, have you?"

"I have you to thank for that Potter," Malfoy said. "After you left last night, the Minister came in and told me that it seemed that you were at least partially convinced that I am being honest and they felt that my 'death' would be to the advantage of everyone. Once again I am in your debt."

"You'll do well to remember it," Harry replied.

"Yeah, just remember it when you decide to mess us around, Malfoy," said Ron with bitterness. "My brother is dead thanks to you and yours and I can hardly stand being in this room with you. But our boss has given us orders. We need for you to start listing places where your father and his cronies have been most recently. Then we'll take the names and addresses of your relatives so that we can begin a search for your mother."

"Weasley, I know that apologizing about Fred isn't nearly good enough but I am truly sorry. I can't imagine how you and your whole family must be feeling. And don't worry, there will be no 'messing you around' Ron. None of you. Those days are done. I know I will end up in Azkaban, and I will have to live with that, but I refuse to help my father kill or hurt anyone else! The remorse I live with everyday is a living torture. The only thing keeping me going now is the hope that one day I will have a small moment of peace from the thoughts that haunt me constantly, if I can help you all prevent my father from doing any more harm."

Hermione spoke up then. "Draco, can you give us addresses or some type of markers so that we might begin to find your father? I don't think that many of us are very familiar with Portsmouth. I remember going there once on a school trip in primary days, but those are certainly not helpful memories for this."

Harry reached for the quill and parchment and began to write as Draco began to talk. One of the places he particularly felt that they should check was the birthplace of the muggle writer Charles Dickens. "Who?" Ron asked.

"Charles Dickens," said Harry and Hermione together.

"He wrote a lot of famous muggle stories, mostly about orphans," said Harry.

Hermione rolled her eyes. "A bit more than just orphans, Harry," she said.

"His birthplace is in Portsmouth, not far from the historic dockyard," Draco said. "One of the men has a sort of safehouse built underneath it. Mad! Thinks it is funny to startle tourists with noises and such when they come in to look around. People think it's haunted. Safehouse can be entered through the muggle sewer access out front. It's not a real access, just enchanted for the muggles."

"Disgusting," Ron said.

"Yeah, well these aren't the most gracious of men with whom my father and his cousin keep company these days," Draco said.

Before they stopped for lunch, Draco gave out a few more places where the men often met and he began to list relatives living in France and Germany, the places he thought his mother might have gone to first. "She won't be killed, will she?" Draco asked with fear in his eyes.

"Draco," said Hermione, "it will serve no one for your mother to die. We all know what happened in the forest with Voldemort. We know she lied to get to you but ended up saving Harry's life We know that she probably holds the key to locking your father up forever. She will likely go to Azkaban, at least for a while, but it is in no one's interest for her to die. We can't promise anything, of course, because it will partly depend on her, but I don't think you need to worry a great deal about her being killed."

"Well, I feel terrible, giving up my own mother," Draco said, his head in his hands. "But I know she will be safer in Azkaban than anywhere that my father might find her."

"Malfoy, you have to remember that she made her own choices, and she wasn't always thinking of you as she should have," said Harry.

"Yes, Potter, I know, but she is still my mother and I don't want to be responsible for her death," Draco said.

"If she dies, it will be her fault, Draco, not yours," said Hermione.

"I just wish I could believe that," he said.


	11. Chapter 11

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks for continuing to read. Hope you are enjoying!**

Chapter 11

After a while, Malfoy was given a lunch and left alone in the room, which was reinforced with holding spells, while Ron, Harry and Hermione went to lunch. They decided to go to a muggle pub which was close by the Ministry and get a break from auror business.

After they ordered, Harry asked, "So, Ron, how'd it go with Katherine on Saturday?"

"Oh, fine," said Ron. "It's just very hard to keep getting to know each other without revealing that I'm a wizard. I just don't know whether to break it off with her, or keep on with the half-truths and hope that we can stay together long enough for me to...well, to trust her enough to tell her. She mentioned you both Saturday and asked if the four of us could get together soon."

"I think that would be great Ron but I guess right now we need to wait to make plans until we find out when or if we are headed to Portsmouth," said Harry.

"Yes, and you will have to fill us in on what she knows and doesn't know before we meet again," Hermione said. "But, on the same topic, do you see this leading anywhere?"

Ron blushed. "I don't want to jinx anything so I'll say no more for now, Hermione. Just that I like her, really like her, and I hope I don't mess things up," he said.

"Oh Ron, you won't mess things up. Just be yourself. You're a great guy," Hermione said.

"Is that why we broke up then, 'cause I'm a great guy Hermione?" Ron asked.

Now it was Hermione's turn to blush. She looked at Harry, made a strange face, then smiled at Ron when she realized that he was messing about. "No Ron, it was your poor snogging technique!" she said with a laugh.

"Well, Katherine doesn't seem to mind my snogging so I should be okay then," said Ron, laughing too.

The three friends soon got their food and passed the rest of their lunch with fond remembrances and much laughter, deliberately ignoring the huge problem awaiting them at work. When they were finished, they went slowly back to the ministry to talk more with Draco.

When they got back into the room Harry began the questioning. "Now, are there other relatives that you can think of that might help us locate your mother?" he asked. They worked for a few more hours and then stopped and Draco was taken back to his cell. No one but the trio, Wooster, Bridges, and the Minister currently knew that Draco was still alive.

Wooster called the trio into his office. Kingsley was already there. Wooster looked over the parchments that they had. "Well, it looks like we have quite a bit to go on," he said, when they were all in his office. "Now we just have to decide who is going to do what. I think that, for now, I want Potter, Granger and Weasley to follow up on the French and German relatives - try to locate Narcissa. It goes without saying that we want her alive if possible. You are authorized to travel as necessary to try to find her over the next week."

He continued, "Bridges and I, and some of the other senior officers will travel to Portsmouth and see if we can locate Malfoy and his associates. Take all necessary care that you are not seen. We are still not completely sure that young Mr. Malfoy is telling the truth. This could all be a trap, but I don't think so. I believe his remorse is sincere."

"Minister, has the celebration at the dockyard been postponed?" Harry asked.

Kingsley said, "For now, the muggle Prime Minister has just said that he will begin to work on that. Obviously, he can't tell anyone how he has obtained intelligence that there may be a problem. But, he definitely understands that it can't happen, at least not in the planned timeframe. He just has to figure the correct way to go about postponing such a huge event. It will be postponed, I am confident. I am just not sure when we will hear about it," Kingsley said.

"So, for now, I think that the best thing is for you three to get going and FIND Narcissa Malfoy" Wooster said, dismissing them.

0000000000000000000000000000000

Harry rubbed the back of his neck, thinking longingly of the shoulder rub Hermione had given him on Sunday. He looked over at Ron, still bent over his desk. Hermione had already gone home.

"Hope we did the right thing mate," said Ron, looking up.

"I think we did," Harry replied. "The 'fishing' will turn out great I hope," he continued. After leaving Wooster, the trio had sat down to think of the best way to go about looking for Narcissa. Ron had come up with the idea of "fishing" for her - putting out some "bait" and seeing if she would take it.

So, they had spent the remainder of the afternoon sending owls with copies of the Daily Prophet that contained the article about Draco's "death" to all of the relatives whose addresses Draco had given them. The hope was that a relative would contact Narcissa and she would come back to try to claim Draco's body for burial. One possible problem with the plan was that the relatives would wonder why they were suddenly getting a copy of the UK wizardng paper. So, arrangements had been made to blanket the areas around the relatives' homes as well so as not to arouse suspicion, and a voucher offering a low subscription price would be included to further the ruse. Hermione, Ron, and Harry had all agreed that this would be a good start, and would avoid travel for the time being, since they had no real leads.

"Well Harry, I am going to head home. I am taking George and Angelina to meet Katherine for supper tonight. I just hope George doesn't mess this up for me somehow," Ron said.

"Just remind him that you are in auror training and tell Angelina to keep a wand on him. He'll be all right," Harry laughed.

"What are you up to this evening? Quiet one at home?" Ron asked.

"You won't believe me if I tell you, so I think I will keep it to myself," Harry replied.

"C'mon mate. You can't leave me hanging like that," said Ron.

"Okay then, I'll tell you, but no more questions," Harry said. He took a deep breath, blew it out and said, "I'm going to see a priest."

"What?" Ron exclaimed.

"I told you - no more questions," Harry replied. He got up, waved a hand, and walked to the lifts to leave, wondering himself just what had made him decide to go and see Mark.

"A priest? I will never understand that," Ron said as he watched Harry walk away.


	12. Chapter 12

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 12

Harry apparated directly to the little country lane outside of Godric's Hollow. He pulled his coat closer against the cold evening. I don't understand why I am doing this, he thought. Mark may not even be at the church. He may be at home and I don't know where he lives. He almost turned around and went home but something drove him on. He had to know for himself. There was something odd about Mark.

He stopped in at the second of the two pubs he and Hermione had seen and had a bite to eat. He had a table next to a window and, just as he was finishing, he looked out to see Mark Vollander, walking away from the direction of the church. He quickly put muggle money on the table and rushed to the door.

"Mark!" he called. Mark stopped and looked in his direction. When he saw who had yelled for him his eyes widened in surprise and then he smiled. Harry walked toward him and the two shook hands.

"Surprised me Harry. I had hoped to see you again but didn't imagine it would be so soon," Mark said.

"Well, I didn't actually plan it myself, it just seemed the right thing to do today for some reason," Harry said. "I have a theory about something. Will you come over here with me for a minute please? I want to try something," Harry continued as he walked toward the war memorial.

"Sure," Mark replied with a curious look on his face. The two arrived at the memorial and Harry stood very close to Mark. The priest gasped. "Harry, do you see that? It... it changed. It's a statue! A man, a woman, and a baby! What is going on? Oh wait," he said and visibly relaxed. "I get it - you called Cassie and you guys set up a camera somewhere to mess me about," he said laughingly as he began to look around for a camera.

"That's not it Mark. Really. Could we go back to your office? We need to talk," Harry said quietly.

"Should I call Cassie and tell her I'll be late?" he asked.

"That might be wise," Harry said.

The two men walked back to the little church and through the back door to where Mark had his office. Mark called Cassie and told her that he needed to chat with someone and would be home later. When he rang off he asked, "Biscuit Harry?" and held out a tin.

"No thanks," Harry replied. "I'm sorry to interrupt your dinner hour."

"It's okay," Mark said. "That's why I keep the biscuits here. Now don't keep me waiting any longer. What happened out there?"

Harry looked deeply into Mark's eyes. He wondered if he could really trust this man. But then, he was a priest, wasn't he? Weren't they supposed to keep secrets? Finally Harry decided to speak. He could always do a memory charm if things went awry. "Okay Mark. I will tell you, but you must understand that you must keep this secret as if I were in a confessional. If you tell anyone, and I mean anyone, I could be imprisoned."

"Imprisoned!" Mark said. "What in the world are you talking about? What is this all about?" Mark asked with fear beginning to creep into his voice. After all, he didn't know Harry at all really.

Harry took his customary deep breath, held it a moment, let it out and said, "Mark, I am a wizard."

To his amazement, Mark's face changed from puzzlement to surprise and he burst out laughing. "Oh no! Not you too," he said. "Did Cassie put you up to this?"

"No Mark. I haven't seen or spoken with Cassie since Sunday at lunch. Why do you think she and I would play a trick on you?" Harry asked.

Mark just continued to smile. "Okay Harry. I'll tell you. Before Cassie and I moved to this parish, we had heard rumors, from my own family, about Godric's Hollow. My great-great grandfather lived here many years ago and is even buried in the churchyard. He was supposed to have been a most unusual man, able to mix up funny concoctions that healed injuries extremely quickly and also able to get from one place to another with more speed than anyone could imagine. Then, since we've lived here, we've both been told stories of unusual things on more than one occasion, and legends that witches once lived in the forests nearby. It's just village legend, and I hear from other priests in these small parishes that it is quite common. Cassie is always messing me about with my tales of the memorial. She must be involved in this in some way, yeah?" he finished.

"No, Mark. I promise you that Cassie is not involved in any of this I am truly a wizard and it sounds as though your great-great grandfather was too. Must have been some sort of potions master, what with the stories of healings. Look, I know that this is hard for you to believe. I remember the first time I was told of it. I didn't believe it at all," Harry said, as he thought about that first meeting with Hagrid.

"Hard to believe?" Mark questioned. "It's impossible. There are no such things as witches and wizards Harry. Everyone knows that. Is there someone I can call to come and get you? Hermione perhaps?" Mark asked, with real concern in his voice. _This young man must be deeply troubled_, he thought to himself.

Harry smiled to try to remove Mark's fear. He thought of a memory he had seen in Dumbledore's pensieve during his sixth year at Hogwarts. _I really don't_ _want to do this_, he thought, _but he may not believe any other way_. Harry looked to his right. A metal filing cabinet stood there with loads of books and papers on top. "Mark," Harry said calmly, "I am going to show you that I am a wizard. Don't yell. I will stop this in a minute."

Then Harry turned, took out his wand, and pointed it at the filing cabinet. "Incendio," he murmured. Instantly, the filing cabinet burst into flame. Mark's eyes opened wide and he started to scramble to get out of the office since he was now more frightened than he had ever been in his life.

"Wait!" Harry yelled. He shut the door with another quick wave of his wand, looked back at the filing cabinet and murmured, "reducio." Instantly the size of the flames grew smaller. "Aguamenti," he said, and poured water over the remaining flames. Then, with a final wave of his wand, he dried everything and all was as it had been before he started.

Harry looked back toward Mark. He had fallen down into his chair, his mouth agape and his eyes so far open they looked as though they might pop. "Mark," Harry said, "say something. Please."


	13. Chapter 13

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended. **

**Thanks for the follows and favorites. Would love some reviews too!**

Chapter 13

"Mark!" Harry said again. "Please say something!"

"Oh my God!" Mark prayed with shaking hands and closed eyes. Then he quickly opened his eyes widely and said, "What...how...how did you do that? What did you just do? My favorite Bible is up there! My new one!" he said as he started to stand and reach for the book.

Harry went and picked up the Bible from the top of the cabinet. It was unharmed. He gave it to Mark. "Is this the one?" Harry asked.

Harry sat back down and looked at the astonished expression on Mark's face. Mark held on to the Bible as if it were a lifeline. "Are you actually telling me that there are witches and wizards? My great-great grandfather was one? There have been others around here? You are one? That memorial really does change into a statue? Is that what you are expecting me to believe?" Mark asked incredulously.

"Um, yes Mark, that is exactly what I am telling you," Harry answered, "and there still are witches and wizards in this village, it's just that they either keep to themselves completely or they don't tell their muggle neighbors - they aren't allowed to do that."

"Muggles?" Mark asked.

"Non-magical people," Harry replied. "Those tales you have heard - most likely all are true. That memorial? The woman and man are my parents. The baby is...me," he continued quietly. He paused for a moment to give Mark time to catch up. "And from what you have told me about your family and the fact that you can at least see the spell on the memorial, I would say that you probably have some magical blood as well. Perhaps you are a squib."

"Squib?" Mark said, looking even more confused.

"A squib is a non-magical person born into a magical family. A lady who lived nearby when I was growing up was a squib and she could see certain magical beings that normal muggles can't see," Harry answered. "Although I always thought that squibs were only born into families with two magical parents. Or at least one. Who knows though?" Harry paused. "Have either you or your parents ever had strange things to happen when you are angry or very stressed?" he asked Mark.

"Not that I am aware," Mark replied. "Okay Harry, I don't know what to say. I honestly can not believe this. There is no way that this is true. You must have set all of this up some way. Are you some kind of con man? Was your boarding school a school for a new type of magician? Is Hermione your lovely assistant?" Mark asked.

"Well Mark, I do think Hermione is lovely. I've only recently realized just how lovely, but she is most certainly not my assistant," Harry said with a smile. "I was raised by muggles Mark, so I went to public school for quite a while. At Christmas we were often read Dickens Christmas Carol story. I am going to ask you what Jacob Marley asked Ebenezer Scrooge," Harry said. "Why do you doubt your senses?" _What is this - Charles Dickens month?_ Harry thought to himself.

Mark said quietly to himself - "_because a little thing upsets them_," quoting Dickens as closely as he could remember. Then Mark looked hard at Harry, gazing into the green eyes as if he could see into his very soul. He continued talking to himself saying_ this just can't be, it can't be. _He took a deep breath then, let it out with a whoosh, and said, "Okay Harry. Tell me more. You say that those are your parents out there in a statue. Why is that? Were they killed because they were a witch and wizard? Tell me," Mark demanded, though in a softer voice.

"This will take a while," said Harry. "And a lot of it will be harder to believe than what you have already seen and heard."

Mark clasped his hands together on his lap. "I have time Harry," he said.

"Okay," said Harry. So for the next hour, Harry sat across from Mark in the little office and told him his story. Mark shook his head and looked almost ready to cry when he realized all of the people that Harry had lost in his young life. He was sickened by the tales of Voldemort and his horcruxes, the wizarding war, and the tales of Sirius in the Department of Mysteries, Dumbledore on the tower, and all of the others. But he was absolutely fascinated when Harry told the story about what had happened in the forest. How he, Harry, had realized that he was a horcrux, and would have to give up his life to stop all of the madness. How Harry had died, seen Dumbledore, and returned to finish what needed finishing.

"You gave your life, Harry? Gave up your life? Just like that. Gave it up for your friends. Sounds like someone else I know very well," Mark said, pointing to a picture on his wall of a laughing Jesus. Harry frowned, recognizing Jesus' face but not knowing much about him, and surprised to see a picture in which he was laughing. He'd certainly never seen that before in a muggle museum.

"And you saw Dumbledore again, your parents, Sirius, this Remus fellow. What was it like?" Mark asked.

"It was like nothing else I have ever gone through," Harry answered. "It was peaceful. It was the other side of that thin veil I think. The veil in the Department of Mysteries I mentioned a moment ago."

"Why did you come back then? Who could give up that peace?" Mark asked.

"I had to come back," Harry said. "If I really loved my friends, I had no real choice about it. There were things to be finished. Things that had to be done. I wouldn't have had it any other way," Harry said.

When Harry finished this part of his tale, Mark said, "Harry, I don't quite know what to say. I am completely dumbfounded. I had no idea that this world existed." He paused for a long moment and rubbed his chin with his right hand. "But, as I consider it, I guess it isn't so surprising after all," he said.

"How do you mean?" asked Harry.

"Well Harry, let me explain. You know that I am a Christian, although it sounds like you have never really been exposed to what that means except perhaps for things you have seen on television which are often exaggerated or portrayed in a negative light. Part of being a Christian is appreciating and caring for all of the wonders of God' creation. I guess I shouldn't be so shocked that a being like the God I serve would create gifts like yours. Think of all of the good you and your friends have done! The lives you have saved and are continuing to save. God has truly been at work in your life Harry, whether you realize it or not, bringing good out of some horrible things. You are an amazingly selfless person!" Mark finished.

Harry was taken aback for a moment. Finally he said, "Mark, I don't know anything about God really, and certainly nothing about Christians or churches except for a few mentions from my aunt and uncle and then the burnings and persecutions we learned about at school in a very boring class called History of Magic."

"Harry I can assure you that those burnings had a lot more to do with fear and love for power than they did with any real Christianity. I can only tell you that I believe with all my heart , soul and mind that there is a God, and that God loves you and your friends very much. God calls to all of us and desires relationship with us. God is calling you Harry. In the church we call the love surrounding the call 'grace' and you are tuning in to it now and learning to hear the call more clearly. I believe that is why you came here tonight. You said you weren't sure why you came. But I'll say it again - I believe that is why. And I think your Professor Dumbledore must have heeded the call himself. Otherwise I don't know that he would have chosen that particular wonderful scripture verse for your parents' grave marker." Mark said.

"I came here tonight because I saw and felt something with you and Cassie that I have been looking for. A peace...something," Harry said. "To be sure, I was intrigued with what you said about the memorial and I wondered what that meant, but mostly I just want what I see in you. I want to live at peace. In here," he said as he touched his heart. "I am so tired."

"Harry," Mark said, "you've come to the right place. Dumbledore - the man who chose that verse - he would be proud."

**More Hermione coming up next!**


	14. Chapter 14

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks for continuing to read. **

Chapter 14

After peeking to be sure it was safe, Hermione opened the door of her flat to Harry. He walked in, gave her a brief kiss and went to sit in her comfy den. It was decorated in Gryffindor colors, but in muted tones. He always felt at home here, almost as if he was back at Hogwarts.

"I wondered if you would come by tonight Harry," she said. "Why so late? I was hoping it would be earlier," she said, raising her brows and leaning over for a lingering kiss.

"You're not going to believe the reason," Harry answered at last. "Can we have some tea first?"

"Sure. I was going to make some in a few minutes anyway." She walked into her small kitchen, started the kettle, and came right back. "Well, don't keep me waiting. Where have you been?" she asked.

"I went to see Mark," Harry answered. Her eyes widened in surprise. "It's good Hermione. I feel a bit confused, but good. You know how bad I had been feeling the other night at Ron's? And I thought you were a bit mad for agreeing to eat lunch with a priest of all people when we went to Godric's Hollow. But he was such a good listener. I've been thinking about him a lot, when I have had a moment between thinking about us, and about all the mess at work. I just wanted to talk to Mark, and I have to admit I also wanted to stand near him at the monument and see what would happen and, well, he saw it," Harry said.

"Saw it? Saw what exactly?" Hermione asked.

"He saw the monument change or at least the outline of the change," Harry said. "I think he must be a squib or something. You remember Mrs. Figg - she could see the dementors when normal muggles couldn't," he finished.

"Oh Harry!" Hermione exclaimed. "What happened? Did he think he was going round the twist?"

"We went back to his office. He thought I was playing some kind of joke on him, along with Cassie. Then he thought our school was a school for magicians and he asked if you were my lovely assistant. But...I showed him, Hermione," he said.

"Showed him?" she asked. "What do you mean?"

"Well, do you remember when I told you and Ron about the day Dumbledore met Tom Riddle for the first time? Riddle didn't believe, so Dumbledore cast a spell and caught Riddle's wardrobe on fire," Harry said.

"You didn't," Hermione said with a gasp. "Harry. You're going to get yourself arrested!"

"No Hermione, just wait," Harry said. "Of course I put out the fire immediately and put everything back the way it had been. After a bit of conversation, he asked me to tell him my story. You won't believe what he said when I was finished," Harry said, looking down.

Hermione sat quietly and waited until Harry gathered his thoughts. She had learned that often, when Harry was talking of something very serious, he went very still before speaking. She felt sure this was important and didn't want to interrupt. "He said that God loves me, us, all of us, and that our magic has been given to us as a gift." He paused again. "He said I was selfless, Hermione, and that God is calling me. I didn't understand everything, but one last thing he said was that he thought Dumbledore had known God's call too. Otherwise he wouldn't have chosen that particular verse for my parents' grave marker. He said Dumbledore would be proud," Harry finished and looked up into her eyes.

Hermione's eyes were filled with tears and one lone drop fell slowly down her cheek. Harry reached up to wipe it away. "Why are you crying?" he asked her.

"Oh Harry, it's just that those words bring back so many memories for me. Good memories. We had this wonderful vicar where I went to church when I was young. He always got down to my level to look in my eyes and talk to me, and he was forever reminding us that God loved us. I remember that when I got my letter from Hogwarts I asked my mother if she thought God would still love me. She said yes, but then once I got to Hogwarts, I just ignored all of that part of my life. You seem to feel more peaceful tonight. You've made me happy too," Hermione said. She laid her head on Harry's shoulder. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. I don't know about all of this "God" stuff, but I want to think about it. And Mark invited both of us to worship next time we get a chance. I don't know - I won't know what to do," Harry said.

"Well, you just think about it Harry and when you are ready, we'll go together. I remember what to do. It will be fine. And you say you've been thinking about us too? So have I. Now let me go and get the tea." She went into the kitchen and brought out the kettle, some cups, the milk and sugar. "Now, may I change the subject a bit?" she asked as she sat back down beside him.

"Yes," Harry said. "What is it?"

"I just wanted to show you that I really have been thinking about us. So I want to show you this," Hermione said, and put her hands behind his head and brought him closer for a kiss. She ran her hands through his hair and deepened the kiss. Harry felt his heart pound and pulled her even closer. He nibbled at her neck and ran his fingers down her back. She felt so nice. She smelled so sweet - that perfume she used was so "her".

"Hermione, you know what I told Mark tonight when he asked if you were my lovely assistant?" Harry asked a few moments later.

"No, what?" she asked softly.

"I said you were not my assistant, but you sure are lovely. And you are. Lovely."

000000000000000000

The tea grew cold. **:)**


	15. Chapter 15

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks for continuing to read. Back to the crime!**

Chapter 15

The next morning Harry met Hermione at the Leaky Cauldron and they went to the office together. Harry had not stayed too late at her flat but Hermione was still tired and somewhat in a daze due to their new relationship. She didn't want to hurt the friendship, but she could feel herself falling in love with Harry. Love such as she had not felt before. She hoped he felt the same. As they moved down the hallway she shook her head to clear it and regain her composure for work.

Hermione walked into the office area first and saw Ron. She and Harry both went in and sat down. "Heard anything yet?" Harry asked Ron.

"From the owls and the Daily Prophets? No. Do you think we should plan a trip?" Ron asked.

"No," Hermione said. "I think we are going to have to wait a few days at least. Narcissa Malfoy is hardly going to apparate directly into this Ministry and ask for Draco's body now, is she?"

"You think she will try to find a way in - like Polyjuice Potion or something?" Harry asked.

"I doubt it," Hermione said. "I have a feeling, based on what she did in the forest with you Harry, that she will just have to find the nerve, and when she does she will walk in, give herself up, and try to see Draco's body. The older she is getting, the more her motherly instincts are kicking in I think. But that's just an opinion. What do you think Ron?"

"You don't want to know what I think. I don't give two knuts for the old bag. For any of the Malfoys. But, maybe you're right Hermione. Maybe what she calls love will overcome. Who knows? I've long ago given up trying to understand the way people like the Malfoys think. And I'm still not completely convinced that all of this is not some elaborate trick to get Lucius into this Ministry," Ron said.

"Well," said Harry. "We've got to earn our money somehow. Why don't we start marking the homes of the relatives on a map so that, if we do have to go, we will be able to do it in an organized way?" he suggested.

"Good idea Harry," Hermione said. "Why didn't I think of that?"

"Yeah," said Ron. "Why didn't you?"

"Ha ha," Hermione said with a laugh. She went to her desk to find a map she kept there and they went to work.

000000000000000000000000000000

Later that afternoon they heard a racket out in the hallway. Harry went quickly to their door and peeked out. He closed the door again and put his back against it. "You're not going to believe it," he said. "I think it's her. Narcissa!"

"It can't be. Not so soon. Let me see," Hermione said. She waved her wand and murmured "Finite Architurum" which turned their wall into a one-way glass. They could see out but no one could see in.

"Never could get that one," Ron said, referring to the spell.

"Me either," whispered Harry.

"You're right Harry. It's her. She's changed her hair - cut it and turned it to ginger, but it is definitely her. She looks miserable. I almost feel sorry for her," Hermione said.

"Save it for all of the people she either killed or helped to kill Hermione," Ron said in a rough voice. "Come on then. Let's go get her."

Hermione put the wall back as it had been and the three stepped into the hall. Two aurors were walking beside Narcissa and holding her arms but didn't seem to recognize her. In her normal haughty tone Narcissa said, "Please release me now. I see Mr. Potter is here. It is him I wish to see, as I told you earlier. He will see me, won't you Mr. Potter?" she said. When she stopped talking, she looked Harry in they eye and mouthed the word "please."

"Certainly. In here please," Harry motioned and then he, Hermione and Ron followed Narcissa into the room and pulled out their wands.

Narcissa held up her hands. "No wand Mr. Potter," she said, in a voice now broken with sorrow. "Thank you for seeing me. I know I don't deserve it. I'm here to turn myself in." She stopped talking and sat down in a chair, burying her face in her hands. "Draco is gone. There is nothing left for me now," she said and began to weep.

As always, Ron and Harry were amazed at Hermione's skill in predicting outcomes. They continued to point their wands directly at Mrs. Malfoy. Hermione asked her the one thing she knew they were all wondering. "How in the world did you get here to the Auror Office Mrs. Malfoy?"

"Well," Narcissa answered, "I disguised myself as you can see, and came in and asked to see Mr. Potter. I waited close to the fireplace as the aurors who came to escort me performed a wand search. While they were searching me, my cousin, who had waited just inside of the fireplace but out of their sight, put a spell on them. This particular spell prevented them from recognizing me as Narcissa Malfoy. The spell is short-lived however. They will realize it was me in a few moments. It was a delicate maneuver. No one else could have done it except this particular man. I revere his skill."

She paused. "Of course he only helped me because he knew I was coming to give myself up. All of my foreign relatives despise me except his wife and I have only been able to stay with the two of them because of her kindness. I won't give them up to you, however, no matter what you do. I beg you not to try. His wife has been so good to me. Please just tell me that I can see my boy. Tell me you haven't buried him in some prisoner's grave yet," Narcissa finished and began to weep in earnest.

Hermione handed her a tissue. "Harry," she said. "I will go and speak to Wooster."

She left and returned in moments with Wooster and Kingsley Shacklebolt. "Mrs. Malfoy," Kingsley said. "I must admit that I am utterly shocked to see you here. You have no weapon of any sort?" She shook her head. "Do you mind if I check as well?" he asked.

Narcissa stood up and held her arms out to her side. "Remove your coat please," said Wooster. He and Kingsley, using wands, did a thorough examination of Mrs. Malfoy and her coat as well. "You have no bag?" Wooster asked. Again she shook her head.

Harry explained to Kingsley and Wooster how Narcissa had gotten to the office. They questioned her harshly until she told them the spell that was used to disguise her identity temporarily. "Wooster," said Kingsley, "it goes without saying that all of the aurors need to be informed of this immediately so that it NEVER happens again! I thought we knew every disguising spell. How could this happen?"

"If he is German or French, Minister," said Wooster, "it may be somehow unfamiliar to us. I will inform the entire office immediately, and I will contact my counterparts in France and Germany to be certain they are aware as well."

At this point Narcissa spoke. "I've told you what you wanted to know. I give myself up to you. Please, please may I see Draco now? May I say goodbye to him before you take me to Azkaban? Please. I know I don't deserve it," she wept.

"Wait here," said Kingsley as he and Wooster left the room.


	16. Chapter 16

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Narcissa's movements in the latter part of this chapter deviate slightly from the movie but keep to the DH book canon.**

Chapter 16

The door opened a few moments later and Wooster gestured to Harry, Ron, and Hermione that they should bring Mrs. Malfoy through. The trio continued to hold Narcissa under wands as she marched woodenly behind Wooster. They came to the room where Malfoy had been questioned and Wooster stopped. "Mrs. Malfoy," he said, "I must insist that you not speak or utter any sound while we are in this hallway. Wait until you have entered the room."

"Yes," Narcissa said.

At this, Wooster opened the door. "Go through," he said. Narcissa took one step into the room and her eyes opened widely. Draco stood in front of her with a small smile on his weary face. She walked quickly to him and began weeping. At this point the trio and Wooster walked into the room and closed the door behind them.

"Draco! I can't believe it! Is it really you? I can't believe it! I thought you were dead. Oh Draco," she said and began weeping again as she began to wrap her arms around her only son.

"Mother, I'm sorry that you were brought here under false pretenses. But believe me when I say that we will both be safer in Azkaban than anywhere else now. Father has...well...he has gone completely mad. He took my wand and at last I was able to get away and get to Potter and to safety here. We hoped that you would follow and you have. I know you have now given up your freedom for me but he would have found you anyway. And killed you," Draco said.

Narcissa wiped her eyes with her tissue. "I am so happy to see you Draco. So happy that you are alive. I had decided to give myself up before I got the notice that you were dead. I had word that you were no longer with Lucius. I guessed it would only be a matter of time until you turned yourself in too or your father found and killed you. I can't do this anymore. I'm finished. And when I thought you were dead, it was the last thing I needed to hear to get me to come here."

She turned to face the trio and Wooster. "So gentlemen, and Miss Granger, you have us both now. Take us to Azkaban. This is done," she said.

Wooster took a seat and motioned for everyone else to do so as well. He spoke carefully. "Mrs. Malfoy, I am sure you will be taken to Azkaban, but first you and Draco will have a trial. However, before any of that takes place, we must have information from you. Young Mr. Malfoy here has told us a lot, but we feel certain that you know more than he. You may begin talking after Mr. Weasley gets us some parchment. Please do so, Mr. Weasley," he finished.

Ron went to get parchment and quills and they all sat around a table that had been brought in. "Potter," said Wooster, "begin the questioning please. I will interrupt if necessary."

Harry looked at Narcissa Malfoy. Nausea welled up in his stomach as he thought of so many terrible things she had taken part in. He thought of the way she had raised her son - to hate, to feel superior, to agree to violence. Then his thoughts turned to Hermione and her soft touch, to Ron and his smiles and laughter, and he let out a deep breath he hadn't realized he had been holding. "Mrs. Malfoy," he asked, "please tell us where you have been since you left the Great Hall at Hogwarts on the day that Tom Riddle was killed." The trio and Wooster held completely still as they waited to see if her story would match that of Draco's and it did, with only a few added details. She continued to tell them her story - how she had gone first to France and then to Germany, trying to find any relative who would take her in. She had been reduced to stealing from muggles to survive. Several times she had almost been caught but had managed to escape each time. She had gotten ill in Germany and at last the one cousin who had brought her here today had agreed that she could stay with him and his wife for a while.

She had been able to randomly contact a very good female friend here in England who sometimes knew of Draco's whereabouts. No, they would not be able to find the friend. She was now dead, having been killed by some of Lucius' compatriots only a few days before. This act was what had convinced her finally to give herself up. That and the fact that she now had nowhere left to go. Her cousin wanted her out. Then she had heard about Draco and that had cemented her timeline.

"What do you know about your husband's plans, Mrs. Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"Here is what I know, Mr. Potter. It won't be everything, because Lucius learned from his 'master'" - she spat out the word - "that one must never tell any one person everything, not even one's wife. A lot that I know I found out on my own and with the help of house elves," she said.

At this, Hermione spoke up. "Just one more thing to hold against you," she said angrily.

"Yes, Miss Granger. I know that now and I regret it. But as to Lucius, I know that he plans to overthrow the Statute of Secrecy. He wants unlimited power for our kind. He and I together figured out Riddle's horcrux plot." Here she glanced at Ron, Harry, and Hermione one at a time. "How the three of you ever figured out what each horcrux was, I will never understand. If you knew the nights Lucius and I talked and schemed about finding them ourselves. But only I had figured out that you were a horcrux Mr. Potter. I wasn't sure of it, but when you walked into that forest and gave yourself up, I knew that you knew."

"I put myself within Riddle's sight hoping against hope that I could be the one to check your body. I knew that you would likely live. And I knew that Riddle would want to be sure you did not. I saw a way to get to Draco and betray that horrible snake of a man! When he chose me I could hardly believe my luck. And so I set things in motion to allow you to fight him another way. And get myself back to Draco. By that time I just hoped that he and I could get away."

"But back to your husband, Mrs. Malfoy," Wooster interrupted.

"He's made a horcrux," she said.


	17. Chapter 17

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thank you for continuing to read!**

Chapter 17

All four aurors in the room looked at each other with shock. They had known this might happen but had hoped….. Wooster spoke first, "Potter, go and get the minister please."

"Yes sir," Harry said and left the room. Inside the room, no one spoke. Narcissa turned to look at Draco, seemingly to drink in his features, but she said nothing.

Harry walked quickly to the Minister's office and asked for him, telling his assistant that it was a matter of the utmost urgency related to Mrs. Malfoy. The young woman went directly to Kingsley's door and knocked. "Come!" Harry heard from inside the office.

The young assistant repeated Harry's message and Kingsley flew out of his office unbelievably quickly. "Harry," he said. "What is it?"

Harry got as close as possible and quietly told Kingsley what Narcissa had told the group. "Come on then Harry! Let's hear the rest," he said as he hurried back to the questioning room.

Everyone looked up as Kingsley entered. "Mrs. Malfoy," Kingsley said in his deep bass voice, "I understand you have some critical information. I must inform you that if you are not telling the truth, or not telling ALL of the truth as you know it, the consequences will be severe."

"I am aware of that Minister, Narcissa said in a weary voice. I want Lucius caught as much, or more, than you do. You may not believe me but it's true. I will tell you all I know."

Kingsley looked carefully around the room, went to the seat opposite Narcissa and sat down slowly. Harry, Hermione, and Ron had been around him enough to know by now that he used these techniques of walking slowly, looking around, and sitting opposite them to intimidate prisoners. Narcissa seemed so care-worn and bedraggled that she took no notice.

"All right Mrs. Malfoy," Kingsley said when he had taken some parchment and a quill from the stack which Ron had brought earlier. "What is this about your husband having a horcrux?"

"Please can we refer to him as 'Lucius' and not my husband. I can't bear to think of the man I married being the same one I knew that day at Hogwarts." She shook her head. "Lucius and I began to realize what Riddle must have done when Mr. Potter had his experience in the Chamber of Secrets several years ago. We knew Riddle would return. It would only be a matter of time. And we knew that might be very unpleasant for us so we began to try to work out what exactly he had planned."

"Many of us in Riddle's inner circle suspected there must be horcruxes involved somehow but no one knew quite how to make one until Lucius and I finally discovered a book in Borgin and Burkes one day. We kept the knowledge of the book to ourselves of course and studied it carefully. Besides the murder involved, there was an extremely complicated potion that must be made and drunk at carefully timed intervals in order for the process to work."

Wooster interrupted. "Mrs. Malfoy, we have the knowledge of how to make a horcrux in this office. It needs no explanantion. Please go on with your story."

Narcissa glanced up at Wooster with near-vacant eyes. "Very well," she said. "Lucius has a ring. You will remember it Draco - the one with a serpent in a long s shape that falls out over the two adjacent fingers."

"Yes, of course I remember it. His grandfather gave it to him or something," Draco said.

"Quite correct. It had been passed down in the family for generations. Lucius decided that this ring should be his horcrux in case of Riddle's return. You can see the plan. When Riddle returned, Lucius would beg forgiveness but if unconvinced, Riddle would still be unable to kill him. Therefore we set to work making the potion, Lucius drank it at the prescribed intervals and murdered a muggle at the correct time to set the horcrux process in motion. He opted to hide the ring then so that no one, not even I, would be able to find it."

Narcissa stopped at this point and rubbed her throat. Hermione got some water for her and Narcissa drank deeply. "Thank you Miss Granger," she said gratefully. "After the way my sister - well, I should say my sister and I - treated you, you are a very forgiving young woman." After saying this, she looked back down at her lap and continued her story. "I, however, did not like the idea of not knowing the location of the horcrux and so I decided to watch him. I purchased one of those inexpensive invisibility cloaks that work for only a limited time and followed Lucius. He took the ring and buried it in our cellar. I saw him take an old nail and push it into the ground to mark the hiding place."

Upon hearing this, Harry glanced at Ron to find Ron looking at him too. Ron's brows were raised as they both remembered the nail that Luna had used to break the ropes tying them together in the Malfoys' cellar. Could it be the same nail? Where had Luna found it? Would she remember?

Harry interrupted. "Mrs. Malfoy, do you believe that the horcrux is still hidden in the cellar?"

Narcissa nodded her head. "Unless somone from the Ministry has somehow found it, I am sure it is still there. Lucius told me later that the place he had hidden the horcrux would never be found, even if the Ministry searched the house. He was utterly confident."

Draco then interrupted. "I have just thought of something else. Father's cousin, Danvers, won father's other ring from him in a card game one night when the two of them were drunk. It was not long before Volde, I mean, Riddle's, return. They were both laughing and I remember father saying something about Danvers having the ring now so it was his turn. I wonder if he made a horcrux as well with the other ring?"

Kingsley surprised them all by rising. "I think that for now this is enough. Potter, will you and Weasley and Granger take the Malfoys back to the holding cells please. We will arrange for a way for you to communicate with each other since you are being so cooperative, Mrs. Malfoy. However I need to inform you that you will be completely monitored and all communication will be reported directly to me, word for word," he said.

Draco stood. "Thank you Minister," he said.

When the trio returned to the offices after taking the Malfoys away, Kingsley asked them to be seated with he and Wooster. His brow was furrowed and he looked as upset as he had looked on the night of the great battle at Hogwarts. "Well this is VERY unfortunate," he said. "At least two horcruxes most likely. I wonder if there are more. At least we know where these two likely are. We have had Malfoy Manor watched almost continuously since the war and no one has gone near it. Lucius probably believes his precious horcrux is safe. I just hope he has not been able to make another. Harry, I noticed you and Ron share an interesting glance when Narcissa mentioned the nail in the cellar. Is there something you know about that?"

Ron spoke out. "Yes Minister. The night that we were all taken to Malfoy Manor - we have told you all about that - we were put into the cellar and found Mr. Ollivander and Luna Lovegood imprisoned there with the goblin Griphook. Luna used a nail they had found to break the ropes that bound Harry and me. It must be the same nail. Who knows where in the cellar it ended up though?"

"That doesn't matter much," Wooster said. "Minister, I will get a detail out there now to have the cellar searched."

Harry said, "Would you like one of us to go with you to destroy them if, I mean _when_, you find them. We can take one of the basilisk fangs that were confiscated when Hogwarts was rebuilt and the Chamber was finally sealed forever."

"Why don't you all go," said Kingsley. "Wooster you too. These three have been through this and know what it entails. I understand it is not an easy matter to destroy such an evil object."

"No sir it is not," Hermione said.

"Let's go!" said Ron.

**Author's note: If you would like to see the rings, see page 299 of the book Harry Potter Page to Screen**


	18. Chapter 18

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks for continuing to read. Reviews always appreciated!**

Chapter 18

Late in the evening, Ron held a basilisk fang near the top of the silver ring that was in the shape of a long s, a snake large enough to cover three fingers. Everyone who had been searching the cellar had moved back as Harry had suggested. Ron knew that the contents of the ring would likely struggle. He was afraid, and found that disconcerting. Hermione, however, completely understood. She walked over to Ron and put her hand on his shoulder. "We'll all fight it Ron," she said quietly. "Try not to worry."

Hermione backed away. Harry reminded everyone with a gesture to have their wands ready. Ron said in a loud voice, "Ready. I will stab on my count. One! Two! Three!" At this he stuck the point of the fang into the ring, right at the head of the snake. A loud hissing sound echoed around the entire cellar. Smoke filled the entire area, so thick that no one could see.

All present heard a voice, low and menacing, sounding as if Lucius himself were in the room. "All of you are known to me. I will be minister and all of you will fall when I come into my rightful heritage." Then the smoke itself seemed to form into a snake, the longest anyone had ever seen. It opened its mouth and passed through the abdomen of every person in the room, knocking them to the floor, groaning in pain.

Only Harry missed being run through, since he spoke to the snake quickly in Parseltongue as it approached him last, telling it to go away. At his words, the smoky snake seemed to explode, the mist became tiny pieces of ash which floated down to the floor, silent and still at last.

After a moment, coughing and spluttering, all of the aurors began to get up from the damp, cold floor, groaning and holding their stomachs. Ron, who had been expecting something this bad or worse, looked at Harry and smiled. "Couldn't have spoken up earlier, could ya' mate?"

"Oh well, in your own words, one down, one to go. At least _hopefully_ just one to go," Harry said with a grim laugh.

At this, the weary aurors began to slowly go over the ground once more. Everyone in the room was hoping against hope that Danvers' ring was hidden here as well. The hunt for Lucius' ring had taken at least an hour since the nail Luna had used had not been found and everyone knew it would likely not have been in its original place anyway. Harry's guess was that Luna had taken it with her in a pocket, using it as some sort of remembrance of her salvation, or perhaps shaping it into a piece of art. The horcrux had finally been found buried very close to the wall of the cellar, after the aurors finally used magic to begin digging a trench around the edge of the room.

Luckily the trench had been deep enough that the sterling silver magically locked box had shown itself fairly quickly. However, the additional ring had not been in the box as everyone had hoped and so the search for the second ring had to begin after the destruction of the first horcrux. "Harry," Hermione said aloud suddenly, "remember how Dumbledore always showed you a sort of logic in the objects that Riddle used for his horcruxes and the places he hid them? Perhaps Danvers did the same in relation to where he hid his ring. What were some of the things that Malfoy said about the man?"

"Man?" Ron said. "Foul git, more like!"

Hermione looked around the room. "May I suggest that everyone stop for a moment and think. You have all read over the reports. Can anyone think of something in the description of Danvers that might give us a clue?"

Silence reigned in the room as everyone stopped what they were doing. Hermione had already shown herself to be excellent at puzzling things out and they all welcomed this. If she could figure something out quickly, it might save a lot of time. Hermione began to think back over all of the things that Draco had said when he had described his father's cousin.

"I remember Malfoy saying that the guy was totally lazy," Ron said. "Would lay around all day drinking if he could."

"That could be a clue of sorts," Hermione said.

"How is that?" Ron asked.

"Well, it could mean that he definitely would have used this room if he had somehow figured out that Lucius' ring was here as well. No effort required to figure out another hiding place," she replied.

"Then why not put it in the same box?" Ron asked, but then he answered his own question. "Lucius might have bragged about the room in some drunken state, but he wouldn't have said exactly where the horcrux was."

"Exactly," Hermione said. "Now, what else?"

Bridgers, one of the aurors on the search team spoke up. "I remember reading that Malfoy said the guy was an only child, and he thought that as a result of it, he always had to be in the center of anything going on - a plan, a crowd, a pub, whatever, he always wanted to be the center of attention. Don't know if that will help, but I just remember reading it."

The group was silent for a minute as everyone tried to go over the reports they had read. "That might just be it Bridgers," Hermione said suddenly. "Danvers obviously thinks he is special - a golden child of sorts. So he would think he should be the star - the one in the center. Why don't we try looking in the middle of the room? It goes along with the laziness too. Just pick the center and go with it."

"Well, at least it gives us a starting point Hermione," said Harry. "Let's try it." And so they did. Harry, using his wand along with several of the others, began digging down into the floor in the center of the room. Dust and dried mud flew up. Hermione tried to use a charm to catch as much of it as possible and wave it into a pile in one corner of the room, but was not completely successful. Everyone was tired and getting dirtier by the minute.

Suddenly Ron shouted for everyone to stop. He had seen something down in the trench they were digging. Sure enough, something shiny could be seen in the hole. Only about an inch square of the container, or whatever it was, could be seen through the dirt and dust. Hermione was surprised that Ron had seen anything, but the lights that he had brought with him, using the deluminator, were shining in the right place. He had seen something. He began to use his wand and a small spade to dig out around the item.

In a few moments he lifted, of all things, a brown beer bottle from the trench. He held it up for all to see and shook it to see if the ring was there. Sure enough the tinkling sound of metal striking glass was heard, and everyone began to be excited. It seemed as if this day was going to come to a good end after all. Ron held the bottle in a place in which he could see better. The ring was there. "Yes!" he exclaimed. "It's here! Hermione, you are unbelievable!"


	19. Chapter 19

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**All Right to all of us Harry/Hermione fans! At last JK Rowling has admitted the truth! We knew it all along. Harry and Hermione together forever!**

**(Don't care if I am an "old" Mom, I am excited to know she has made the statement.)**

Chapter 19

"You should destroy this one Hermione," Ron said, holding out the ring which Danvers had made into a horcrux.

"Yes Miss Granger. This one should be eradicated by you. You saved us a lot of time with your logic and you have earned the right," Wooster said.

_Oh great_, Hermione thought. _I could have gotten out of this with Ron, but not when Wooster practically orders me. _Hermione was concerned. She knew of the propensity of the horcruxes to spit out words which were threatening to the one delivering the fatal blow. She wondered what would happen this time.

"Very well," she said, taking the fang that Harry held out to her. He looked her hard in the eyes, trying to give her confidence and love. She looked at him with hope in her own eyes and reached out for the weapon. She grasped it in a trembling hand, trying to hold it still so that she wouldn't miss the relatively tiny horcrux which she held in her other hand.

The other aurors backed away, although Harry kept close by. She took a moment to lay the ring down on the edge of the trench and then knelt down to stab it. "On my count! One! Two! Three!" and she attempted to stab the ring with all her might, hurrying to do the deed before fear could capture her. As she attempted to pierce the ring, it began to jump around on the ground, rolling almost like some charmed marble. Out of the middle of the ring, came a smoky face with an ugly sneer. It began to speak in a slurred, husky sounding voice. "I see the greatest fear in your heart. Your friend will not become your love as you wish, and your long friendship will be turned to stone. Your hopes and dreams will all... ahhhhhhhhh," it finished, as Hermione found the strength to force the ring down into the damp ground just enough to hold it still for a moment and stab it."

She was panting, and wiped her face at last with the back of her hand, leaving a streak of dirt along her forehead. There was a moment of complete silence in the room as everyone present stared at Hermione and she stared at the ring which was smoking slightly. At last she looked up and found Harry staring at her with a serious look on his face. Then, they looked over to find Ron staring at them both with a question on his face.

At last all of the other aurors began to congratulate Hermione and they all decided to end their day's work. Ron came up to Hermione and said, "Well done. Sounds like we all need to talk, hey mate?" he asked, turning to look at Harry.

"Yes, Ron, I suppose we do, but not tonight, okay?" Harry replied. "We all need a shower, wouldn't you agree?"

"Yeah mate, I guess we do at that. You okay Hermione?" Ron asked.

"Yes, Ron," she answered. "I'm fine."

"Well, let's get out of this place. I've spent all the time I ever intend to spend in a house owned by a Malfoy. I'm gone. See you tomorrow," Ron said, and apparated away, taking the lights with him. Everyone lit up their wands as they said goodbye and at last they all left, Wooster congratulating Hermione once more before leaving.

Harry walked over to Hermione. "Well, I guess Ron knows now, ya think?" he asked with a small smile. He put his arms around Hermione's waist since they were now the only aurors left. He gave her a kiss on the cheek.

"Not exactly the way I wanted him to find out," Hermione said with a tinge of regret in her voice. "Do you think he's angry?"

"It will be okay, Hermione. We'll talk to him tomorrow. It will be fine. Let's go home. Want to come to mine?" Harry asked.

"Sure, that would be great. Let me go home first and shower and then I will come over and we can go walking in the snow and get something to eat, okay?" Hermione asked as they walked outside and realized it had begun to snow lightly.

"Sounds good. I will see you in a while," Harry said as they both turned on the spot, making their way home.

000000000000000000000000000000000

Later, after they had gone out and had some wonderful stew and warm bread at a nearby pub, they were back at Harry's flat, snuggling under a blanket that Hermione had bought for him one Christmas when they were at Hogwarts. Hermione finally brought up the topic which was uppermost on the minds of both. Ron. "We'll have to tell him after what happened today, you know," Hermione said.

Harry looked her in the eyes. "Yes, we will, and it will be okay Hermione. It will have to be. This relationship is right, at least for now, and he will have to accept it." He paused. "Anyway, he's got Katherine and I think he really has a thing for her."

There was complete silence in the room. "Um, Harry, what do you mean when you say, 'at least for now'?" Hermione finally asked.

"Well Hermione, I just,...well...I think this is right but I don't want you to think I am pushing you, so I am saying that it is right for now and I guess we will see what happens as things continue to...um...develop, okay?" Harry replied.

Hermione ran her fingertip along Harry's cheek. "Yes Harry, I think that is just fine," she said, and leaned in for a lingering kiss.

Harry could feel his heart speed up as the kiss became more intense. He slowly wound Hermione's hair around his hand, feeling its length and wave. He breathed in her perfume, the one she had worn for years now. Oh, he loved it. It was rather...intoxicating, he thought to himself. "Oh Hermione," he whispered in her ear and began to slowly nibble at her neck.

"Harry," Hermione whispered back as she ran her hands through the dark hair she had wanted to touch for so long. So, so long she realized now. She was falling in love deeply, and so quickly. She ran her fingers down Harry's back and then again up to his neck, pulling him closer.

At last they stopped and Hermione lay her head on Harry's shoulder. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. "We'll tell him tomorrow. It'll be all right. I promise," Harry said.


	20. Chapter 20

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thanks for continuing to read.**

Chapter 20

The next morning, when the trio had all arrived, they all got tea and sat down together before they went to meet with Wooster. There was an uncomfortable silence. At last it was broken when Ron asked, "What was all that about yesterday then?"

Harry and Hermione looked at each other and Harry nodded to Hermione. "Well, Ron. The other Friday night when we were at your house - the day before Harry and I went Christmas shopping - I went to his flat when I left the Burrow. He...well, he asked me to come over. He was feeling gloomy and we were talking and...before we knew it..." She held her breath.

"I knew it. I just knew it. Mum said she thought maybe something was going on between the two of you when you left that night! I knew it - she's always right," Ron said. Though she tried to be quiet there was an audible "whoosh" as Hermione let out her breath.

"But how could she have known? I just told you. It was after I left that night that we...got together," she finished shyly.

"Mum's just like that. Always has been. When you and I split up, she told me she had known from the beginning that it wouldn't last. Same with Harry and Ginny. You should probably go and see her and she can tell you whether or not to buy a ring Harry," Ron laughed.

"So, you're not...upset?" Hermione asked with relief in her voice.

"No. I would have been, back at Hogwarts. And you both had better take care that it doesn't ruin the friendship." He paused then began again, "Once we broke up Hermione, I figured this out eventually. I have just been wondering how long it would be before you two did. I mean, come on, you both have muggle backgrounds, you're both brilliant at your work. You're best friends. It was bound to come," Ron said.

"You're brilliant at your work too, mate. And we're all best friends. Don't forget, you've been with us all the way," Harry said.

Ron frowned for a moment. "Well, almost all the way," he said. Then, changing to a grin and putting a hand on his hip, he said, "In addition Harry, don't forget that your emotional range is larger than a teaspoon," and they all laughed. Then, his tone becoming serious, he said, "And honestly, as long as Katherine will not mind my being a wizard, I don't much care if I'm 'brilliant' or not. As long as I can be happy with her and earn a living, I'm good."

"So it's that serious is it?" Hermione asked.

"Yes. I think it is. I am planning to tell her everything in a week or so. So while you are at Harry's place snogging, think about me, suffering as I make plans to reveal something like this to a girl who is so sweet and special and funny and...well, everything. What if she throws me out? I will have to go back and modify her memory. I don't think I can take it," Ron said in a voice that sounded lost.

"Don't jump to conclusions, Ron," Harry said. "I'll go with you if you want and wait outside. If something bad does happen, which I don't think it will, I can go back in and modify her memory, yeah?"

"Yeah mate," Ron said with relief in his voice. "That sounds good. Why didn't I think of that? We'll set it up. Now, to change the subject, we had better earn our money. What do we do next?"

"Wooster wants to meet with us, I think," Hermione said. "He mentioned it right before he left last night. I guess one of us should go in and see if he is ready." They both looked at her with smiles on their faces. "Okay, I'll go," she said.

0000000000000000000000

Hermione walked back into the office space a few moments later and said, "Come on. He wants to see us now. And Kingsley, I mean the MINISTER, is there too."

"This must be big then," Ron said.

They walked together into Wooster's office. After they entered, Wooster, with a very serious look on his face, motioned for them to sit down. "I want to thank all of you for the hard work yesterday. Destroying one horcrux is a horrible business, but two...well, I thank you for great work. Now the minister has something he wishes to share with you all."

Kingsley's deep voice was very serious as well as he began to speak. He looked at each of them in turn and said, " I will add my thanks to Wooster's. You have all proven your worth many times over in this office, but especially yesterday. Now, I have to let you know our plans for proceeding with this investigation. After much consideration, I have spoken with the muggle Prime Minister again, and he is in agreement. We have decided that he is to go ahead with the celebration in Portsmouth which is planned for January second."

Saying this he paused, and Harry, Hermione, and Ron looked at each other with raised brows. "The Minister was having no real luck at postponing the event without giving away our world, and so he is willing to let us intervene quietly. Wooster and I are wagering that Lucius Malfoy will go ahead with his plan despite knowing that we likely know about it from questioning Draco before he 'died'. We think that he may have made another horcrux just in case the other is found. He has probably figured out that Narcissa is here and has told us about the first one. If he has another he will be completely unafraid of what we might do to him as he is sure we can't kill him, and he is so obnoxious he won't believe he can be caught. He won't care about his compatriots and Danvers will assume that his own horcrux is unknown."

"Therefore, what we will be doing over the next week is, of course, paperwork relating to what has been done so far, just the basics, and then I want all three of you to come up with as many ideas as possible for places that Malfoy would likely have hidden a second horcrux. Question Narcissa and Draco again. Talk with some of the prisoners we have from the capture a month ago - they are likely part of the gang since we know Danvers was there - and sit down, Miss Granger, and use that logical brain of yours. But come up with locations which we can check. We need to destroy any second horcrux before this event. This is vitally important. Everyone understand?"

"Yes sir." "Yes," they replied.

"We will continue to keep a detail watching the Dickens house in Portsmouth since it is the last known hideout," Wooster added. "Perhaps we'll get lucky and Lucius will make a mistake and return."

00000000000000000000000000

Later that evening, Harry went to Hermione's flat and she prepared supper for them. They began to talk as they ate and the conversation naturally evolved into a sort of guessing 'game' about the horcruxes until finally Hermione stopped. "Harry," she said. "Remember what Kingsley told us when we started these jobs? He said we could ruin our lives with them if we didn't learn to put a stopper in it when we went home. We need to stop talking about these bloody horcruxes. I'm sick of it and my mind is absolutely whirring. Let's talk about something else, okay?"

"Okay, you're right," Harry said. "I'm sick of it too. What else should we talk about?"

"Well, Hermione said, "I've been thinking about Mark. Maybe you, or we, should go and see him and check how he is doing. You gave him an awful lot to think about when you went to Godric's Hollow you know. Perhaps we need to see if all is well there. And, truthfully, I wouldn't mind going to worship on Sunday if you'd like."

"Um...well, you're certainly right that we need to check on him. I had thought of that as well. But going to church? I don't know," Harry said.

"Well Harry, you said that you saw something in Mark that you wanted. That you want some peace. The only way to know if that is where you will find it is to go and see. Surely you're not afraid of going. After all you've been through?" Hermione asked.

"Not afraid, Hermione. Just...nervous I guess. It's not something familiar. I don't know," Harry said.

"Well, the only way to know is to go. And anyway, it's only for an hour." Hermione smiled. "And you know it will be better than History of Magic."

"Yes, I'm sure it will. Can't imagine Mark being a part of anything that boring," Harry said with a laugh.

00000000000000000000000000000

Later that evening, during - and after - a movie, Harry turned often to gaze at Hermione. When the movie was over he asked, "Feel better now that Ron knows?"

"Yes. I was so surprised at how well he took everything. But evidently Molly has a gift of sorts. Maybe we should just go and talk to her to find out how this is going to go. Might save ourselves some time - what do you think?" she asked with a shy smile.

"I think we can find out for ourselves. And I much prefer it that way," he said as he leaned over for a kiss. "I have been wanting to do that all day," he said quietly as he lifted his head to look her in the eyes. "You're beautiful, do you know that?" he asked, and kissed her again, more deeply this time.

That was the last of the conversation.


	21. Chapter 21

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is meant for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

**Thank you for continuing to read, review, follow and favorite. It makes my day and helps me to know what is most enjoyed. More reviews are always welcome.**

Chapter 21

On Thursday, the trio prepared and filed their paperwork. In past investigations they often found that going back over what had been done could give them clues as to the next move they should make. This time, however, despite putting all of the new events in writing and poring over what had already been done, nothing was clicking. Harry felt like he had back in his second year at Hogwarts when he could hear the disembodied voice that no one else could hear and it took almost the whole year to figure out the entire mystery. It seemed they were stopped at every turn. And this time they were under a vitally serious deadline!

Ron was in a foul mood when they went for lunch and he continued this during the afternoon. Paperwork was his least favorite part of his job as an auror, and, he confessed to Harry, his mind was mostly filled with thoughts of Katherine. How would she take his news? He thought that perhaps she was wondering about him anyway, which was part of the reason he had decided it was time to tell her. Soon she would be jumping to conclusions that he didn't want her thinking about - that he was seeing someone else or some such.

Harry attempted to reassure him again, and they decided to go and see Katherine on Saturday evening. Ron was just going to ask her if Harry could come and have supper with them. Ron would go first and talk to Katherine, then Harry would stop by a while later and see how things were going. If all went well, Harry could get Hermione and they could all four go out together, relaxed because the truth was out. If not, Harry would modify Katherine's memory and he and Ron would leave.

Hermione thought this was a good plan too and tried to encourage Ron so that he wouldn't be so worried and distracted. The three went to talk to Draco again but didn't seem to get any more useful information. In addition, according to Kingsley, Narcissa and Draco talked almost non-stop with each other according to the monitoring. They were attempting to fill each other in on the last eighteen months when they had been apart.

Draco mentioned many small villages where his father's gang would stay for limited amounts of time but only a few were checked out by other aurors. Mostly the group had stayed outside of the villages in forested areas in lavish tents which they took with them everywhere they went. And they never stayed anywhere for long. There was really no point in checking most of these sites because wooded areas would hold few, if any, clues.

Harry was reminded of the trip to the Quidditch World Cup. The tent that Mr. Weasley had borrowed had been so small on the outside, but huge inside. From Draco's description, there was little to want for in these tents of his father's. And then there was the year searching for horcruxes. Lucius' travels were not at all like the long journey that Harry, Ron, and Hermione had made in the sparse tent they had, and with very little food. This made the three even angrier and more determined to catch Lucius Malfoy than they had been before. Imagining him living a lavish lifestyle after all of the suffering he had caused was beyond belief!

Thursday evening found Harry at the Burrow, admitting to Mrs. Weasley that she had been right about him and Hermione. Ron had practically forced him to come, keeping it a secret from Hermione, which was easy because she had wanted to go home and relax anyway. "Harry wants you to tell him if he should be buying a ring for Christmas, Mum," Ron said laughingly as they sat down to a table loaded with Harry's favorites.

"I'll not answer that question Harry dear," Molly said, giving him a hug before she finally sat down to eat. "You will have to work that out for yourselves."

Harry's cheeks turned a bit red and he tucked in to his supper. Ron surprised him then by asking, "So Harry, what was this about going to see a priest the other night? Already planning the wedding? Trying to keep that a secret too?"

Harry looked up from his plate to find everyone staring at him. Truthfully he had hoped that Ron had forgotten about this, all the while knowing, deep down, that _that_ would never happen. He considered briefly what to tell everyone and decided he may as well let them know about Mark.

"I met Father Mark Vollander in Godric's Hollow," Harry said. "I was feeling a bit nostalgic so Hermione and I took Teddy and went to Godric's Hollow on Sunday. But I guess you already know that part since that is where we caught Malfoy. Well, earlier in the day, this vicar came up and introduced himself as he was leaving worship. We ended up having lunch and he joked a bit about seeing a statue at the war memorial. It made me wonder about him because I thought of Mrs. Figg and how she could see the Dementors."

"Also, our time with him, and his wife Cassie, was just so...peaceful. Of course, they knew nothing of our world and of everything we have been through, although we did discuss my aunt and uncle, Tonks and Remus, and my mum and dad. We made up secret government jobs as reasons for the deaths. I don't know when I have met more compassionate muggles. Anyway, my curiosity about the monument got the best of me, so I went back to see him and he could see the whole thing when he stood by me," Harry said.

"You mean, he could see the memorial change into the statue of you and your parents?" Molly asked.

"Yes," Harry replied.

"Remarkable! He must be a squib himself," Arthur said.

"Yes, that is what I figured as well. He thought I was playing some sort of joke or magic trick on him so I ended up back in his office, explaining...well, explaining everything," Harry admitted.

"You didn't!" exclaimed Ron.

"I did. I had to. I mean, well, I didn't HAVE to, I guess, but I felt it was the right thing to do. He had already told me about old stories about his great-great grandfather living in Godric's Hollow and healing people with things he mixed up for them. And I knew that, as a vicar, he was supposed to keep quiet anyway so I told him, and I told him I suspected he was a squib and his great-great grandfather some sort of potions master," Harry said.

"And what did he do Harry?" Arthur asked.

"Well at first he tried to run away because I...I caught his filing cabinet on fire," Harry said.

"You did what? Harry, tell me you didn't do that. Why would you do that?" Arthur asked again.

"Well Arthur, Dumbledore once showed me his memory of when he met Tom Riddle for the first time. Riddle, obnoxious even then, didn't believe Dumbledore was who he said he was and so Dumbledore set fire to Riddle's wardrobe. That popped into my head so I did the same. I fixed everything back, of course. Poor guy. He thought I had burned his favorite Bible. But you know, after he began to accept what I was saying, he told me that he could understand God giving people these gifts. He said he thought Dumbledore must have heard God's call, or he wouldn't have chosen the Bible verse that is on my parents' grave marker. It was an amazing conversation actually," Harry finished.

"Harry I can't believe you did all of this without telling me," Ron said, sounding a bit hurt.

"Ron, we have had a _bit_ on our minds this week mate. I was planning on telling you, but actually I have just been thinking and thinking about the things Mark said to me, but not talking to anyone but Hermione a _little_ bit. And doing the thinking only when I have had a spare moment - which hasn't been often this week you know," Harry said. "Mark even invited me to worship and he wants to talk about baptizing Teddy. I don't know about all of that though."

Arthur cleared his throat. "I may be able to shed a little light on some of this Harry," he said. "After Ariana died, Dumbledore began to do what I guess you would call 'soul-searching'. He told me about this later in life. It was not something he often talked about. He had known a muggle priest when he was young and he decided to purchase a Bible. Believe it or not they sell them at Flourish and Blotts. He read a lot and eventually went to talk to a vicar, the one who was serving in Godric's Hollow at the time. He never revealed his true identity, but he said he had felt a great peace after the reading and conversations with the young vicar. He encouraged me to read from the Bible as well, and I have often found parts of it to be helpful during anxious times."

"Dad, really? You have read the Bible? I never knew that. I only know about it from that crazy History of Magic class," Ron said. Under his breath so that only Harry heard he continued, "And it is a wonder that I remember it at all."

"Well, I suppose I should have told you but I always thought we would get around to it. Your mum reads it too sometimes. So, yes, Harry. Father Vollander is right when he says Dumbledore heard God's call. He told me about it, and I think that is what turned many things around for him," Arthur said.

"So Harry," Molly asked, "are you going back to see him again? I think you should, at least to see how he is doing since you have told him all of this. You don't think he would tell anyone do you?"

"No, I'm sure he won't and yes, I am planning on going back to see him. I think Hermione and I will probably go tomorrow evening if we aren't busy on this investigation. And I don't think we will be since it seems we are at a standstill. Haven't had any flashes of insight have you Ron?"

"About Malfoy? No. About you? Definitely," Ron said. "And Mum and Dad too. Maybe I should go with you and meet this guy tomorrow Harry. Would you mind if I came?"

"Of course not. It's not like it is a date, and you'll like him - really. He's a nice guy. Reminds me of Remus a bit. He talked with me a bit more about finding some peace. And I need some peace," Harry said.

Molly and Arthur exchanged melancholy glances.

"Yeah mate. Me too." Ron said. "Me too." He paused and then Harry watched his friend's face light up. "Hey Harry! We need to find out about Malfoy's dad. Where did he go to relax and find peace?"

"What are you talking about Ron? I can't imagine Lucius Malfoy even knowing the word 'peace'," Harry said.

"I don't really mean peace. I mean relaxation, winding down, you know. We know there was a lot of drinking, but I don't think we have ever asked exactly where. Maybe that could give us a clue to the location of the... well, you know," Ron said, stopping himself from saying the word in front of his parents. They didn't yet know the peril Ron was facing. The whole Ministry was facing really. And Ron wanted to keep it that way if he could. He knew Harry would feel the same.

"Great idea Ron!" Harry said. "See, I told you that you were brilliant. That is a great idea. Tomorrow, first thing, let's get Malfoy and his mother together and find out just where Lucius goes to, as the Americans say, 'take a load off'."


	22. Chapter 22

**Harry Potter belongs to JK Rowling. This is a work of fiction and is for entertainment only. No copyright infringement is intended.**

Chapter 22

That night, after leaving the Burrow, Harry apparated to a quiet lane near Hermione's flat. He quickly went up the stairs and knocked on her door to surprise her. She came to the door and he heard her murmur the spell that she had used at work that allowed her to see out. When she realized it was him she smiled and opened the door. "Harry, what are you doing here? I didn't think you were going to come by tonight!"

"I just came by because I would like a good night kiss Hermione," Harry said. I won't come in because I know it's late and we both really need our sleep." He stopped and then looked up at her a bit shyly. "Is that okay - it's just that I was missing you."

"You can come in Harry," Hermione said with a smile.

"No, really. I best not. I know we will start talking and...," Harry replied.

"Okay Harry. Well, if you must know, I was missing you too. And I would love a good night kiss," Hermione said. She stepped into the hallway and put her arms around Harry's neck as he pulled her close. Before he kissed her, she hugged him, inhaling the fragrance that was Harry. Then she lifted her head and kissed him lightly once, then more deeply a second time. "Good night Harry," she said softly.

"Good night Hermione," Harry said. He squeezed her hands for a moment and then turned and walked away. When he got to the stairs he turned to make sure that she was inside the flat. How was he going to stand it if they continued to get close and she was still an auror, in harm's way all the time? He shook his head. That was a question for another day.

00000000000000000000000000000000

The next morning Harry got Ron to explain his idea to Hermione and the three went to talk to Draco and Narcissa about places Lucius might go to relax. The first thing out of Narcissa's mouth was, "Lucius never relaxes. Not really. Doesn't know the meaning of the word. Everything, and I mean everything, has a motive. Every touch, every conversation, every relationship. So, I can't help you, much as I would love to. If Lucius was going to be with someone for what he would refer to as 'just a little talk' he would normally meet them in their home or ours or perhaps in a shop in Diagon Alley. But before you ask - no - there was no one shop he went to a lot. And as for the Leaky Cauldron, he despised the place. Rarely went in."

Draco, however, had a bit more information. "Dad and Danvers, and some of the others on occasion, would go to pubs in some of the villages near where we were camping. Most of the time they would go in after hours. They would wait until the owner had closed up for the night, unlock the door and put spells around so that no muggles would be aware of them. They would sometimes sit for several hours and then put everything back, except for the alcohol of course, lock up behind them, and go off to the tents to sleep it off. Truthfully it was disgusting to me. As I have said, I did not want to be with him but he would drag me along saying that this would 'make a man of me after all of Dumbledore's ridiculous rules at Hogwarts'."

"But was there one particular pub they spent more time in?" Harry asked anxiously. He and Ron and Hermione were racking their brains to think up hiding places but still coming up with no realistic ideas. "Well," Draco said, "there is a pub in Portsmouth that they frequented more often than some others. It was very near the historic dockyard. What was the name of it?" He paused for a long moment, his brow creased in thought. "Something to do with a ship of course. Ship and...Ship...Ship and Castle - that was it!" he said at last. "Ship and Castle - on a corner, very near the dockyard. They went there often after hours. Sat at the bar mostly. Loads of windows so it took lots of spells to close it off to the muggles but there was always a great selection of beers so they didn't mind it. Yeah, Ship and Castle."

"Thanks Malfoy," said Harry. "Maybe this will be of some help - who knows."

"You're welcome Harry. The sooner he is stopped, the better," Malfoy said, looking down with his head between his hands.

When the three of them went back into the offices after interviewing Malfoy and his mother, they tried to decide what to do. "Well, I think we need to look around that pub in Portsmouth. It probably won't turn up anything but we should check. I think we need to go to see Mark tonight too. So, let's go to Godric's Hollow and have a bite to eat and try to see Mark, then meet up at the pub around midnight. Hopefully they will be closed soon after and we can go in and have a look round," Harry said. "Ron, do you still want to go and meet Mark?"

"Well, yeah Harry, I would like that, I think. Do you mind?" Ron asked.

"Of course not. We'll go straight from here then. That all right with you Hermione?" he asked.

"Sure, sounds like fun. And that restaurant near the memorial had good food," she answered.

The three briefed Wooster on what they had learned and their plan for the night, wrote up what they had done, and then apparated to the lane outside the village.

000000000000000000000000000000

After a great meal in the tiny pub, with the warmth from the fire in the hearth relaxing them, they were finally able to talk about something besides work. Harry filled Hermione and Ron in on the rest that he had learned about Mark when he was there earlier in the week. "We have to find out where he lives. Perhaps someone here in the pub can tell us. I hate to just walk up to his house and intrude. Guess I should have phoned but it is always such a problem to find a phone to use. Muggles think you are strange if you don't have a mobile. Not sure if a mobile would work for any of us anyway," Harry said.

"Well mate, after the way you have made him sound, I don't think he will mind. Probably be glad to see you, and if he doesn't want all of us, Hermione and I can apparate back to the Burrow," Ron said.

"Yes, Harry, I think Ron is right. He won't mind. C'mon. Let's go," Hermione said.

After finding out the location of the vicarage, the three went out into the cold to pay their visit. After seeing lamplight through the window, Harry knocked while Hermione and Ron stood back a bit. In a moment Cassie came to the door. "Harry!" she said warmly. "I'm very glad to see you. Mark said you had been back to visit earlier in the week and I was sorry to have missed you. Oh, and you've brought Hermione and a friend as well. Come in, all of you, out of this cold."

She stepped back to allow them into the tiny hallway. An authentic pine garland decorated with tiny red bows wound its way up a staircase. Cassie beckoned them into the living room where a fire burned and a Christmas tree filled with tiny lights sat in the corner, with several presents set beneath. Mark sat in the opposite corner and stood up when the three walked in. "Harry, Hermione!" he said, in a voice which sounded friendly but tired. Beneath his eyes were dark circles. "Ah, and you have a friend today I see," he said.

"Yes, Father, this is Ron, the friend I told you about when we were talking..." Harry said.

"I am Mark to you, Harry, and hello to you Ron. Nice to meet you," Mark said. "Now what brings you three out on such a cold night? Cassie," he said, "could you bring some cocoa or shall I?"

As Cassie left to prepare hot drinks, Mark beckoned to Harry.

Harry asked quietly. "Are you all right Mark? You don't look well."

"I have been keeping all of this secret from Cassie." Mark said in a hushed voice. "I never keep secrets from her. It's not easy, you know. So I am glad to see you because I want to know if we can all tell her together? That's all right now, isn't it? I love Cassie and this keeping things from her...well, she is noticing that something is wrong."

"Sure, Mark," Harry said. "We'll tell her together. It's time she knew."

0000000000000000000000000000000000000

Near midnight, Ron, Harry, and Hermione found themselves on the streets of Portsmouth, near the historic dockyard. The masts of the great old ships were well lit and could be seen at a distance. It was cold and they had already walked by the Ship and Castle once. Lots of patrons still packed the pub and the sound of music was loud. "What should we do now Harry?" Ron asked.

"I don't see any of the back-up that Wooster promised," Hermione added.

"We will just wait for them and hope that the pub closes soon. Let's just walk around the block while we wait. I am freezing just standing here. If we move we can keep warmer," Harry said. "And maybe we will see our back-up too."

After about thirty minutes of walking, Hermione finally stopped and said, "Listen!"

All three stopped where they were and listened to the sounds of goodbyes and laughter as the pub owner began to close up for the night. As they heard a lock click, three men stepped out from behind a small building across the street from where they were standing. Harry, Ron, and Hermione reached for their wands but then put them away when they realized that these were fellow aurors.

"Good ears Granger," said one of the aurors who was called Beasley. He was an older man with a small gray beard and a ready smile. The two others, Jackson and Mason, were dark-haired twins, both around thirty, who always reminded Harry of Fred and George when they were together. Having twins on the staff at the auror office came in handy sometimes during investigations, although the two were pranksters as well when they were in the office.

"I am so sick of this town," said Jackson. "I sure hope Wooster lets me go home on Christmas Eve at least. Surely even Lucius Malfoy wouldn't pull anything on Christmas Eve."

"Don't bet on it," Ron said. "I wouldn't put anything past any of the Malfoys."

"Still don't trust Draco then?" asked Mason.

"Absolutely not," Ron said with a slight catch in his voice. Being around Jackson and Mason was hard on Ron at times. He liked both young men a lot, but they reminded him so much of his loss.

"Well, anyway, I think I hear the pub owner's car so let's get in and have a look round, shall we?" said Beasley.

"Yes, let's," said Hermione.

**Author's note: In 2007 I visited the Ship and Castle near the dockyard in Portsmouth. Now in 2014, as I looked it up on the internet, the picture looks very different, so it has either moved or there are two Ship and Castle pubs there. I love Portsmouth!**


End file.
